Who Fights with Monsters
by Bad Notions
Summary: Kaoru and Soujirou have always dreamed of an amber-eyed man. Enter Fujita Goro. Is he the key to the mystery? Could there be a connection to a 140yr. old double-murder or the cursed Wolf of Mibu legend says it spawned? [AU-Reincarnation-Werewolf]
1. Bad Dreams

Who Fights with Monsters

Summary - Kaoru never believed the legend of the Shinsengumi Capt. accused of a gruesome double-murder and the horrible curse that resulted from his crime. But her dreams have always been haunted by a man with amber eyes... AU - Reincarnation/?

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - thoughts are in italics.

* * *

Chapter 1. Bad Dreams

He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.

-Friedrich Nietzsch

If you believe that dreams can come true, be prepared for the occasional nightmare too.

-French Proverb

The first thing Saito Hajime was aware of was the terrible throbbing in his skull. _What happened? Where am I?_ Since he could not yet open his eyes for the pain, he reached out with his remaining senses.

The smell of water and cool, damp earth was strong. Another metallic odor was mixed in as well, but his dazed mind could not recognize what it was though he felt somehow he should. The leaf litter beneath his fingers and a sharp stone cutting into his back proved he was outside, lying on the ground. Cicadas and crickets chirped all around, yet the birds were silent indicating that it was night. A light wind rustled through the leaves of nearby trees, and the gentle murmur of cascading water finally confirmed for him that he had awoke by the falls in the forest outside Kyoto. _But what am I doing here?_

Gradually his memory of the evening's events began to return. After finishing his patrol he had been greeted at the gate of the Shinsengumi compound by Harada Sanosuke, who expressed some surprise over his presence. Apparently his fiancee, Tokio, had received an urgent message, and a short time later Okita, the Captain of the First Unit and his best friend, was seen escorting her out of the city. Naturally everyone assumed they were on their way to rendevous with Saito.

He could not begin to describe the dread and anger which filled his entire soul at that moment. With a curse, he had spun on his heel and tore off in the direction of the only place outside of Kyoto that any of the group frequented - the waterfall. Oh, how he had wanted to be wrong, but the reality was far worse than his feeble imaginings.

Recalling the scene he witnessed next caused his eyes to snap open, despite the pounding headache. He slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, knowing what he would find and wanting it to be otherwise. The horror which met his stunned amber gaze, however, was nothing he could have prepared for.

Blood. It was everywhere: on the ground and rocks, splattered on trees, all over him. This was the source of the smell he had been unable to identify, yet knew so well.

A slight creaking noise dragged his eyes away to the water's edge and an even more gruesome sight. Two mutilated, headless corpses - a male and a female - hung by their ankles from a large tree. The ropes groaned again under their weight as they swayed in the slight breeze. Set on stakes before them were the missing heads, their faces all too familiar.

Saito could never have been described as cowardly or squeamish, but this was far too brutal for even a warrior of his caliber. A nauseous feeling arose in the pit of his stomach. Instinctively he tried to crawl away backwards, but his left hand grazed against something. Glancing down, he saw that it was his sword, out of its saya and encrusted with blood and gore...

* * *

Fujita Goro bolted upright with a strangled cry dying in his throat. It was the damned dream again. Almost every night for more years than he cared to recall his sleep had been plagued by the same horrific images. _And people wonder why I'm always so cranky._

He glanced over at the clock which read six-thirty. _No point in trying to go back to sleep now._ With a pained groan, he raised a hand to his forehead and attempted to smooth back the four long locks of hair that were forever dangling in his eyes. As expected, they merely fell back into place the moment he released them. Giving up, Fujita forced himself to leave his futon and start the day.

His morning ritual was fairly simple. He took a shower, shaved, brushed his teeth, and dressed. Then he went to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee to brewing.

Leaving his apartment, he went downstairs and out of the building to the little convenience store next door. Fujita nearly always bought the same items: a newspaper, some sort of pastry, and a couple packs of cigarettes. The clerk had grown accustomed to the tall, grim man's ways by now and kept her remarks to the minimal required pleasantries, knowing it was useless to attempt any real conversation.

Returning to his residence, he went back to the kitchen, threw the paper and tobacco on the little dinette table and put his breakfast in the microwave to heat. He prepared a cup of coffee while he waited, then retrieved the now hot pastry and sat down. Opening one of the packs of cigarettes, he pulled out a cancer-stick and grabbed a match to light it out of the small container he kept on the table with his ashtray. Taking a long drag off the cigarette, Fujita read his paper.

It was the usual sort of news at first. A few people were upset about the placement of a new facility. Someone robbed a gas station. A local politician admitted he had taken bribes. There was a headline on the third page however that made Fujita take pause:

LOCAL TEENS CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN ATTACKED BY WOLF

The article went on to explain that two young men had shown up at a local hospital seeking treatment for severe bite wounds, obviously the result of an animal attack. But the creature they claimed had inflicted the injuries was a large black wolf with amber eyes. Naturally the E.R. staff doubted their story and contacted the police.

It was soon learned that the boys were suspects in several home invasions that had occurred over the past few months. The officer investigating the case told the paper he had personally contacted the local zoo and found that not only were no animals missing, but they did not even have any wolves. Furthermore the idea of a wolf roaming anywhere in Japan, let alone in a city, was ridiculous because the last one had been killed in the Nara Prefecture in 1905. Officials were confident that what the teens actually encountered was a large German Shepard who was very unhappy with the intruders in his home.

Fujita sighed and flipped to the ads at the back of the paper. _Time to move on again, but where to go?_ Finding a job was the most important factor, so he scanned the help wanted section first. The vast majority were for stuffy office positions rather than the more physical labor he preferred, and he was just about to give up when something caught his eye.

A small dojo in Tokyo wanted someone experienced to instruct kenjutsu. Better still, they promised to provide room and board so he would not have to hunt for a place to live.

He frowned for a moment as he studied the ad closer. _Kamiya Kasshin Ryu?_ He had never heard of that style before, but apparently the dojo's owners understood it was a bit obscure. They made a point of stressing that there would be a brief training period for whoever was interested, and claimed the ryu was easy to master if you knew the basics of kendo.

That brought a slight smirk to Fujita's lips. He wondered what these people would have to say if he told them just how experienced with a sword he really was. Snuffing out his cigarette, he stood up and carried the paper with him to the phone.

TBC 


	2. Good Friends

Who Fights with Monsters

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts and memories in italics

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Chapter 2. Good Friends

We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend.

-Robert Louis Stevenson

Kamiya Kaoru sat on the veranda watching a few fluffy clouds float across the blue sky. It hurt to have to close her father's dojo, but they had done their best to find a suitable replacement for Hiko and no one had been even remotely qualified for the job. Once school resumed in a few weeks she would not have time to teach herself. Without a headmaster, the dojo would have to be shut down.

Light footsteps alerted her to someone's approach. Glancing around she saw Soujirou standing beside her, his perpetual sunny smile firmly in place. Not needing an invitation, he plopped down beside her.

"You know, I was thinking that maybe we don't have to close the dojo after all. I could always drop out of college for a semester while we looked for a new instructor. I'm sure if we give it just a little longer someone is bound to turn up," her adopted brother said in a cheery voice.

Kaoru bowed her head so that her bangs hid her eyes from view. "I can't let you do that, Sou. I can't be that selfish, and Enishi would never allow it anyways." Finding her own smile suddenly, she jerked her head up and gave him a wink. "Besides, we can always reopen the dojo in a few years."

Soujirou rubbed the back of his head, laughing at her startling change of mood. "Anou, if you're sure that's what you want."

"Arigatou anyways Soujirou. I don't know what I would do without you."

The two sat in companionable silence then. There had never been much need for words between them. Somehow, right from the start, they had always understood each other perfectly.

************************

Ten years ago....

_Kaoru ran to the shouji and threw it open, a huge grin on her face. "Otousan!" She practically leapt into the man's awaiting arms._

_ "Kaoru! Have you been a good girl while I was away?"_

_ "Hai Otousan!"_

_ "Anou, in that case I have a present for you."_

_ "A present?"_

_ Her father set her down and turned his back to her for a moment. He reached out a hand to beckon someone just out of her sight. "It's alright, wappa. You're welcome here. Kaoru, I'd like you to meet your new brother, Seta Soujirou."_

_ A small boy hardly taller than herself stepped into the doorway, an odd smile plastered on his face. His eyes were a bright blue and he had short black hair. His gaze locked with hers and the phony smile faded, leaving behind a puzzled look._

_ Kaoru pursed her lips for a moment. Something was off with the face before her. She felt as if she knew this person, but the hair and eye color were all wrong. Still he was so familiar. She decided right then and there that she liked this boy._

_ Her father acted a bit nervous, perhaps thinking their introduction was not going as well as he hoped. He seemed on the verge of addressing them again when Kaoru finally spoke._

_ "Okaerinasai Soujirou!"_

_ For a second, the young boy only stared at her in shock. No one must have ever welcomed his presence anywhere before. Another smile - a genuine smile - appeared on his face._

_ "Arigatou Kaoru."_

_ Her father smiled then, pleased the two were starting out on such friendly terms. "Kaoru, why don't you show Soujirou around while I bring in his bags. I'll put him in the room next to yours."_

_ "Hai Otousan!" Kaoru held out her hand to Soujirou. Hesitating briefly, he took it and found himself being practically dragged through the dojo. The sounds of laughter trailed after them._

_ ***************************_

Everything about that day was clearly engraved in her memory. It was almost as if they were just resuming a friendship that had begun in another lifetime.

Soujirou's integration into the rest of the family had not gone quite as smoothly. While he was painfully polite and always smiled, he at first avoided personal contact with her parents and older half-sister, Tomoe. Things were even worse where Enishi was concerned.

Her half-brother was the overly protective, possessive type. He did not care to share "His Kaoru" with a complete stranger. Sou had been equally suspicious of him and avoided the older boy whenever possible. He only smiled pleadingly if their paths accidently crossed.

Eventually they learned Soujirou's real family had abused him, some of the more horrible treatment coming from his brother's teenage sons. It had taken some time for the authorities to be alerted to the situation. Before they finally removed him from his so-called home, his only defense had been the unnatural smile. If he cried, they beat him harder. If he smiled, they grew tired of it and would leave him be. If he smiled, no one paid him any mind. As long as he smiled, everything would be alright.

Learning of Sou's past helped a great deal. Enishi's jealousy had evaporated instantly. It angered him that anyone would beat on a little kid, especially one with such an obviously gentle soul. From then on he did his best to protect the younger boy the same way he did Tomoe and Kaoru. And gradually, Soujirou came to trust and love his new family.

Kaoru was so caught up with her musings over the past that Soujirou had to call her name twice before he could gain her attention.

"Gomen Sou. What were you saying?"

"I said I had another one of those dreams last night."

The young woman nodded her understanding. The "dreams" were something they had both experienced for as long as they could remember. They were the secret that they shared.

Dreams that almost seemed like memories.

~ TBC ~

  
  



	3. Shared Experience

Who Fights with Monsters

  
  


Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

  
  


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Chapter 3. Shared Experience

  
  


We are such stuff as dreams are made of, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.

-William Shakespeare

  
  


The dreams always left her frightened and confused. They seemed to center around a young woman with long brown hair worn in a high ponytail similar to the way Kaoru wore hers.

The eyes were also much like her own. The girl appeared to be from a well-to-do family, but her name was uncertain. It might have been Tokio.

  


Strangely, all the dreams took place in the past. There were no cars or other modern conveniences. People wore traditional clothing, and the men all wore their hair long and tied up in top knots or high ponytails. They also openly carried around their daisho.

  


Kaoru could never determine the time or place the events she saw in her mind's eye occurred. Certainly the men were samurai, but that did not help much considering how long that particular class had help power in Japan. It did put the time back to at least a little over a hundred years ago. As for the where, she just knew it was not Tokyo.

  


A few images were the same in every dream. Most of the men wore a blue and white hoari, indicating it to be a uniform of some type. Often there was a dark-haired man with a spear and a twig hanging out of his mouth. She thought his name was Harada. Sometimes there were fleeting images of a tall, silent man who might have been the leader of the others. And then there was Souji.

  


The young man with a gentle smile was one of the most persistent figures. He was short with brown hair and eyes. She was not sure of his relationship to the woman, only that the feeling he gave to her was of warmth and happiness.

  


It was the man with the amber eyes however who appeared in every dream. She had yet to clearly see his face. Somehow the light was never bright enough for her to make out distinct features. Only the piercing gaze staring at her through several long strands of dark hair could be seen. Occasionally she had the impression of thin lips twisted into a smirk. The emotions she felt whenever she dreamed of those eyes were hard to describe even to herself. And the most frustrating part of all was that she could never recall his name when she awoke. There was only a lingering sense of bereavement. She would have feared for her sanity if Soujirou had not experienced almost the exact same dreams.

  


The first time they had spoken of them was a month after Sou's arrival. Kaoru had heard him cry out and rushed to his room to find him sitting on his futon, breathing hard and trembling with tears glistening in his eyes. Once he calmed down, he explained that he had recurring nightmares where he could not breath.

  


Wanting to comfort him, she told him of her own dreams and was surprised when he began to finish her descriptions of people and places. They both knew then that there was something more to it all than overactive imaginations. Yet every effort they had made over the years to unravel the mystery proved futile. They were no closer to any answers than they had been that first night.

  


Trying to ask anyone for help would have proved disastrous. The one time they mentioned the dreams to Tomoe nearly resulted in a family crises. Everyone became convinced that Sou's past might be causing him some sort of post-traumatic stress. Their father even considered sending him to counseling. Pointing out that Kaoru was having the very same dreams had not helped. They merely blamed an impressionable nature on her part. Eventually, Soujirou and Kaoru decided to keep it a secret and never mention it to anyone outside of themselves again.

  


Kaoru sighed and turned her gaze back to the blue sky. One small cloud that looked vaguely like a wolf sailed overhead. "So what was this one about? Was it...you know, one of those?"

  


"The nightmares? Hai. I think there might have been a battle going on. Buildings were burning and men were running about with their swords drawn. I was running with them when I suddenly couldn't get my breath. I'd try and end up with these awful wracking coughs. They hurt so bad and I just wanted them to stop, but they wouldn't. My hand was over my mouth and when I finally pulled it away, I realized I had spat up some blood."

  


The young man paused a second, trying to clear the horrible image from his mind. "That amber-eyed man was in this one too. When I finished coughing, I noticed someone was standing over me. I looked up and found him watching me. For some reason I felt so guilty, like I was hiding something from him." Soujirou grunted. "I couldn't see his face this time either. It's so infuriating!" 

  


"Mou! We're never going to get to the bottom of this on our own. I was thinking maybe we should talk to Aoshi about the dreams. I'm sure he wouldn't think we were crazy, or at least he shouldn't considering some of the weird stuff he does believe in."

  


"I would really rather not. What if he said something to Enishi? I really don't want to be spending my time with a shrink."

  


Kaoru sighed. "I guess you're right. Anou, let's just forget about it for now. Come on. We'd better grab some breakfast before Sano shows up and eats us out of house and home."

  


Sharing a laugh at their absent friend's expense, the two made their way to the kitchen.

  
  


~TBC ~

  
  
  



	4. Good News

Who Fights with Monsters

  


Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

  


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Chapter 4. Good News

  
  


There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart's desire. The other is to gain it.

-George Bernard Shaw

  
  


Yukishiro Enishi was a striking individual to say the least. His eyes were a brillant turquoise, though he usually kept them hidden behind dark glasses. More startling was his stark-white hair. It had been black as a child, but for some unknown reason it had changed color while he was in his teens. Everyone in his family liked to tease him that he had worried himself white-headed.

  


Currently he was worrying over how Kaoru would take the dojo's closure. Keeping her family's sword style alive was more important to her than anything else in the world. It was the way she choose to honor her late father's memory.

  


Enishi understood the sentiment. He also understood that he had to be the one to put personal feelings aside and see to it that Kaoru did not abandon her education. It pained him to be so rigid, but he knew what Kamiya-san and their Okaasan would have wanted for their daughter.

  


It was a damned shame they had not been able to find someone to become headmaster of the dojo. Why Hiko had taken off to Kyoto to become a potter of all things he would never know.

Nothing about the man had ever made much sense. Enishi always suspected the yarou had a rather serious drinking problem.

  


Before his mind could begin a tirade against the egotistical kendo master the phone began to ring. Figuring it was someone from his import company, he answered a bit gruffly.

  


"Yukishiro speaking. What do you want?"

  


"Yukishiro-san, I'm sorry to disturb you so early. My name is Fujita Goro. I ran across your dojo's ad for a kendo instructor and I was wondering if the position was still available?"

  


The stranger's voice was polite, calm and confident. Enishi liked the way the man did not waste his time with false concern for his health or what sort of day he was having, but got straight to the point. Keeping any enthusiasm from his own voice, he assured Fujita-san the job was indeed open and inquired after the man's credentials.

  


Enishi was even more impressed by the information he received from the stranger. If what he heard was true, then Fujita definitely had the job. Telling the man he would call him back shortly, he made a few quick calls.

  


Every dojo he contacted from the list assured him that Fujita-san had indeed been an instructor for them with very satisfactory results and his services had only been terminated at his own request. His last call was to his friend Chou at the police station. The superficial background check provided by the department's computers revealed no known criminal record.

  


Normally Enishi would never make a snap decision, especially where the welfare of his family was concerned. But he just could not stand to see his imouto so miserable. Satisfied that there was no obvious objections against Fujita, he dialed the man's number and informed him that the position was his. They quickly worked out the terms.

  


Enishi was just hanging up the phone when he heard Kaoru and Soujirou enter the kitchen. Pots and pans began to clatter as they set about fixing the morning meal. He wandered over to the doorway and leaned against the frame.

  


Kaoru spotted him first. "Ohayo Enishi! We'll have breakfast done in a little while."

  


The white-haired man smiled in return. " I think you might want to hear my news first."

  


His imouto and Soujirou both stopped what they were doing and looked at him expectantly.

  


"News? What's going on?" Sou inquired.

  


"I just received a call from a man by the name of Fujita Goro. He saw our ad for a kendo instructor and was interested in the postition."

  


"Nani?! You mean he really wanted the job? What did you say? Is he qualified? Would he be willing to accept what we could afford to pay?" Kaoru's blue eyes were alive with hope and excitement. He couldn't keep her in suspense any longer.

  


"I did a brief background check. Everything seemed to be in order, so I gave him the job. He was not very particular about the terms."

  


"You mean it?! Then the dojo can remain open?" Laughing and crying at the same time, she ran across the room and threw her arms about him. "Arigatou Enishi! You don't know how much this means to me."

  


"So when will Fujita-san be arriving?" Soujirou asked.

  


"He'll be here on Monday. Listen, I want you both to promise me you'll be careful around this Fujita until we learn more about him. I don't want either of you to allow yourselves to be alone with him. Just because nothing showed up on record doesn't mean he's not some kind of psycho," Enishi warned with a stern look at both of them.

  


"Baka! I'm sure he's just fine, and anyways Soujirou and I can take care of ourselves, so you don't have to worry at all," Kaoru scoffed.

  


"Onegai, no fighting!" Sou chimed in, waving both hands in front of himself to ward off the impending bickering. " We promise to be careful. Right Kaoru?"

  


"Of course!" the girl replied with an overly bright smile, not a care in the world.

  


Enishi and Soujirou exchanged a look. Apparently nothing was going to get through to her while she was in her current state of bliss.

  


"Yare, yare," Sou muttered softly, turning back to the task of preparing breakfast. He sincerely hoped this Fujita would not turn out to be a disappointment.

  


~TBC ~

  



	5. Who's Harada Anyways?

Who Fights with Monsters

  


Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

  


Note - Thoughts and dream are in italics.

  


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Chapter 5. Who's Harada anyways?

  
  


If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts, but if he will begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.

-Francis Bacon

  
  


The sun glaring in his face finally awoke Sagara Sanosuke. _Shimatta, cant't a guy sleep late just once?_ Grumpily, he left the futon.

  


After a quick shower and a half-hearted attempt to comb his mass of brown spiky hair, he dressed in a pair of white pants and a white button-up shirt with black trim and the kanji "Aku" on the back. The shirt he left hanging open. Then he tied the red hachimaki around his forehead he always wore in remembrance of his deceased onii-san, Sozou. A red wristband went on his left arm.

  


He soon discovered there was no food in his tiny kitchen. Grabbing a fish bone from last night's supper plate, he stuck it in his mouth and headed for the door. He paused only long enough to shove his feet in a pair of black slip-on shoes and lock up.

  


Wandering the few blocks between his place and the Kamiya Dojo, he briefly thought back on the weird dream he had:

  


_Two men roamed down a rutted-out lane. Both wore a blue and white hoari and their black hair was tied in high ponytails. One of the men carried a spear and had a twig stuck in his mouth. His bangs refused to lie flat, instead sticking up in all directions. The other man was a bit taller and he carried daisho set as his weapon of choice. His facade was much colder than his companions._

  


_ Finally the man with the spear spoke up. "What are we going to do now, Hijikata? The rest of the Shinsengumi are gone. Shouldn't we look for Saito?"_

  


_ The cold man took a while to answer. "Iie Harada. I'm going to Hokkaido. Enomoto has asked for my help in taking control there. We will set up our own government and continue our fight against the Ishin."_

  


_ "But isn't it our responsibility to..."_

  
  


_ "Our responsibility is to Japan first and foremost. Personal revenge must wait."_

  


_ "Personal revenge? So you still believe he did it?" Harada asked, resuming what seemed to be a very old argument._

  


_ "Hai." Hijikata glanced at his companion. "How can you not? If he were innocent then what we witnessed could not have occurred. Only those who are guilty are affected."_

  


_ The one called Harada exploded in anger. "And how do you know that for sure, huh?! Because that's what it said in the book? What if your 'trial' was wrong? I won't accept so easily that he's guilty! Otherwise, why didn't he just kill me when he had the chance? In any case, we're the ones who put him through that ordeal, so whatever he does now is partly our fault! We have to do something!"_

  


_ "I agree that whatever his actions now, we are partly to blame. However, you are letting your emotions get in the way of your reasoning again," Hijikata chided._

  


_ "Oh yeah?! At least I have emotions! Shimatta, you do what you want. I'm going to find Saito and then I'm going to find out the truth!" Turning back the way they had come, Harada stomped away._

  


_ "Harada matte!"_

  


_ The spearsman turned around with a glare in his blue eyes._

  


_ "If you do find Saito, what will you do? How will you know if he speaks the truth or not? What will you do if he...changes again?"_

  


_ "I don't know. All I know is I have to find him. I've got to know the truth for myself, and I have to set things right. One way or another."_

  


_ "Naruhodo. Then promise me at least that you will be cautious. Onegai Harada. You do not know what it is you will be pitting yourself against."_

  


_ "Sure. Whatever. Anou, I guess this is it. Saiyonara Hijikata. I hope we meet again," Harada said with a sad smile. Waving, he began to walk away once more._

  


_ "Saiyonara Harada," Hijikata's voice answered back. The crunch of gravel underfoot told him that his companion had resumed his own journey._

  


_A great weight settled over Harada's heart. Never before had he felt so alone. He had just parted ways with the last friend left to him. He vaguely wondered if he and Hijikata would ever meet again in this lifetime..._

  


Sano shook the morbid images out of his mind. He had been dreaming of this Harada person for years now. Sometimes he saw him in happier times, surrounded by a small group of men wearing the blue and white hoari. More often, the youth appeared to be on searching for someone he could never find - the mysterious man named Saito. Sano had never caught a glimpse of this figure. He only knew the name and that it belonged to someone important. Someone with answers that Harada needed.

  


The youth kicked a small rock out of his way. _Che, where did I get such a vivid imagination? Where did I come up with this Harada person anyways?_ Snorting at his own foolishness, he looked up and saw he was at the dojo gates.

  


_Hope Jou-chan didn't cook this morning,_ he thought with a wry grin, setting aside all consideration of the odd dream. Entering the grounds, he walked up onto the veranda of the house and threw open the front shouji without bothering to announce himself.

  


"Oi! Anyone around?" the youth called out.

  


Kaoru stomped into the main foyer. "Sanosuke don't you know how to knock?!" she hollered, hands balled into fists at her sides. He was glad to note she did not have her bokken with her.

  


"Gomen Jou-chan. I just was wondering if I could grab something to eat?"

  


"Fine. Come on. We were just sitting down to breakfast anyways." All at once the young woman's demeanor changed. "I haven't told you the great news yet! Enishi found a kendo instructor!"

  


"Nani? That's terrific. So what are we eating?"

  


His blatant indifference caused Kaoru to growl. "Mou! I should have known better than to expect a tori-atama like you to care!"

  


"Who are you calling a tori-atama, tanuki musume?"

  


"Anou, guys? The food's getting cold," Soujirou called from the other room.

  


Still sniping at each other, the two went into the dining room to eat.

  


~TBC ~

  
  
  
  
  



	6. Hijikata's Oath and Aoshi's Obsession

Who Fights with Monsters

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts and past-life memory flashes are in italics.

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Chapter 6. Hijikata's Oath and Aoshi's Obsession

....the Universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose.

-J. B. S. Haldane

  


The only light in the study came from a single pillar candle sitting on the large oak desk. Somewhere in the darkened room Shinomori Aoshi sat cross-legged on the floor going through his daily meditation ritual.

Images began to flash through his mind. Little bits and pieces of a life. The only real problem being the life he remembered was not his own...

_It was cold. The clouds overhead were dark and heavy with the promise of snow. Beneath them lay a bleak and brooding landscape. The wind howled across it, chilling the men of the two armies who faced one another across a barren field._

_ Hijikata stood a little apart from the pathetically small band of followers he was about to lead into battle. His breath steamed in the frigid air. Another icy blast whipped around him, stirring his long dark hair while his equally icy gaze measured the strength of the Meiji Government's army._

_ Silently he acknowledged that there would be no sunset for either himself or his men. True they were all samurai of the Bakufu, but what could men with swords hope to accomplish against an army of riflemen? The best they could wish for would be to die with honor on the battle as befitted real warriors._

_ "Kami! This is it. This will be the end of us," the man to his left, Enomoto Takeaki gasped. Apparently the ahou was just beginning to grasp the nature of their situation._

_ "If this is indeed the end, then at least I will die as a samurai," the former Vice-Captain of the Shinsengumi replied._

_ Time ceased to exist upon the frozen battleground. Had it been five minutes or five hours the two groups faced one another? _

_ Without warning the illusion was broken by some invisible signal. Both armies charged the field, coming together with blood-curdling screams amid the ringing of swords and the sharp reports of the guns._

_ Hijikata made his stand in the very eye of the storm of humanity. Blood splattered his hands and face as well as his clothing. His long hair became matted with it. A cruel light played in the depths of his cold eyes as he cut down the Meiji soldiers around him. The ground was littered with the bodies of his enemies, their precious life blood seeping into the dirt, turning it into a sticky, sickening muck._

_ Suddenly there was a crack like thunder near at hand. Hijikata felt a searing pain as something ripped its way through his body. Glancing down, he saw a crimson stain on the front of his gi that was different from the others. Different because it was growing._

_ Instinctively his left hand clamped itself to the aching hole in his chest. He tried to ignore it, to strike down one more foe, but his movements were becoming so sluggish and the sword in his right hand so very heavy. He tried to raise it and ended up watching it fall from his grasp instead._

_ The alien weakness grew stronger, dropping him to his knees. He was oblivious to the carnage and chaos all around. With bowed head he stared at the ground in front of him, yet in his mind's eye the vision of a boyish face with a gentle smile floated before him. _

_ "Gomen nasai Okita. I should have avenged your death while I had the chance. Now I have failed both you and Japan. There is no time left to set things right in this life. I swear to you now that I will avenge you in the next. In the next life my friend....I will hunt Saito to the ends of the earth....I swear it. Perhaps I will....meet you.....there....."_

_ Darkness swam before his eyes. It was too much of an effort even to sit up now. He felt himself falling face forward into the foul muck...._

Aoshi's eyes snapped open as he jerked out of his meditative trance. Another vision. But was it of a past life or only the workings of an over-active imagination?

He stood up and walked over to his desk. By the dim light he could see the various newspaper clippings and magazines scattered about the desk. On one corner was a small pile of books. They all had one thing in common - each contained information on the legend of the Wolf of Mibu.

Aoshi slumped heavily into his chair, one hand rubbing the bridge of his nose. As a child he had been enamored with the tale of the murderous Captain of the Shinsengumi. He had even believed it might be true. That belief had led to his fascination in the paranormal in all its forms.

Eventually he began to make forays into the field himself. They were simple little excursions to supposedly haunted sites at first. Then one night he received a call from a frightened couple who suspected a spirit had invaded their home. By word of mouth they learned of him and his interest in such things and hoped he might help them somehow. And so, without his even realizing, his career as a paranormal investigator began.

During the course of the past five years he had witnessed almost every known type of ghostly phenomenon. Doors opening and closing by themselves, voices when no one else was present, misty figures that vanished into thin air... None of it ever ceased to amaze him. Never did his dedication to observing and recording such events waver, even in the face of overwhelming ridicule. Let the ahous think what they must, he knew such things were real and that was all that mattered to him.

Glancing down, his eye fell on one of the magazines and he picked it up. An artist had sketched his impression of the Wolf of Mibu for the cover. It depicted a huge beast at least twice as large as a normal wolf, its lips drawn back in a vicious snarl that exposed the menacing fangs.

For a while he had been so busy with other cases that his obsession with the legend slept fitfully within him. Until a year and a half ago when his cousin, Makimachi Misao, begged him to visit a hypnotist with her. It seemed an innocent request.

The man in question claimed he could recover memories of a person's past life. Ever eager, Misao had gone first and recalled being a female pirate captain during the late 1800's. Then Aoshi had been put under.

What he revealed while in the trance state truly astonished him. He claimed to be Hijikata Toshizo, the Vice-Captain of the Shinsengumi. During the course of the session he related his journey to Kyoto with Kondou Isami and the formation of the group. 

Misao felt certain what they had experienced was for real. Aoshi thought perhaps his years of reading stories on the legend explained his so-called "recovered memories".

One of the things that made hypnotism unreliable was how suggestible it left the participant. The slightest prompting, even unintentionally, could cause the person to create an entire tale from tidbits of information stored in the subconscious. For this reason memories recovered in that fashion were not admissible as evidence in a court of law. It was all too likely the entire past-life experience was merely his recollection of what he had read over the years. Shrugging the whole thing off, Aoshi went back to other pursuits.

That's when the memory flashes began. Sometimes they came in dreams on the edge of waking, but usually they occurred while he was in a meditative state. In them he gradually recalled more and more of Hijikata's life. And now he was remembering the man's death and the oath he had swore._ Could Misao be right? Was I Hijikata in another life? Is that why I'm so involved with the legend now?_

He sighed and tossed the magazine back onto the desk. When the flashes became routine he had decided to do some research of his own into the Wolf of Mibu. It startled him how closely accounts of the actual events mirrored his "recollections". _If only there were some way I could determine if these are true memories of a past life or if they are some weird after-effect of the hypnosis._

The door to his office flew open unexpectedly. He looked up to see his young itoko skip merrily into the room.

"Ohayo Aoshi-sama! You're not planning on sitting here in the dark all day are you? It's far too nice outside for that! I'm on my way over to the dojo to visit Soujirou and Kaoru. Why don't you come with me?"

Aoshi suppressed a smile. Misao had not even paused to take a breath. He wondered where she found her boundless energy.

Standing up, he snuffed out the candle. "I believe I will join you. There have been some reports of a haunting in a cemetery near here. I thought I might ask Seta and Sagara to assist me when I investigate. Of course you and Kamiya are invited as well."

Misao grinned brightly. "Anou, Soujirou will help out for sure. I don't know about Sano though. Tori-atama is kind of scared of ghosts and such things."

Aoshi raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I would have thought someone as quarrelsome as Sagara would not allow himself to be so easily frightened."

"Sad, but true. Sano's the superstitious type. He even swears evil spirits haunt all the subways just waiting to drag you down into the sewers."

This time Aoshi did not try to stop the smile which came to his lips as he followed Misao out of the office.

~TBC ~

  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Appointment with the Mysterious

Who Fights with Monsters

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

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Chapter 7. Appointment with the Mysterious

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

-Albert Einstein

Kaoru grew slightly annoyed as the wind blew dust back over the parts of the dojo's porch she had already swept. _Why can't it blow the other way and help me out!_ she fumed to herself. It made her want to throw the broom down in disgust.

Glancing through the open doorway she saw Soujirou practicing his kata. He was taking his next stance, mind clearly focused on his task. He had been a gifted swordsman from the start and seeing him in action never ceased to be amazing. Occasionally he would surprise even himself by coming up with moves that were entirely his own. Afterwards he could never explain exactly how he knew what to do. They merely felt natural to him, as if he had done them a thousand times. So extreme were his talents that some had begun to refer to him as "Tenken".

With a sigh, the young woman turned back to the task at hand. Thoughts of the new instructor whirled round and round in her head as she scraped the bristles across the wooden planks of the floor._ Is he really any good? Will he interact with the students alright? What sort of person is he? I hope he's not some arrogant jerk! I had enough of that nonsense with Hiko!_ Gritting her teeth with frustration, she firmly pushed her worries aside and continued with her cleaning efforts.

Just then the front gate slid open and a young woman wearing a lavender short outfit skipped into the courtyard. Her long black hair was caught up in a braid and her green eyes sparkled as she smiled and waved. Close behind her was a man in dark clothes, the sleeves of his shirt rolled midways up his forearms.

"Ohayo Kaoru! Is my Sou-chan around?" the girl inquired.

"Ohayo Misao! He's in the dojo practicing. Ohayo Aoshi," the young woman replied with a bright smile of her own.

The tall, solemn man nodded to her as he followed his cousin across the yard. Icy blue eyes regarded her from beneath a fringe of thick black hair.

Aoshi was her brother-in-law's childhood friend. He and Misao had moved into the city from Kyoto a little over a year ago. While many people were put-off by the ghost hunter's cold demeanor, it had never bothered either herself or Soujirou. In fact, her sibling had shocked them all by foregoing his normal wariness and regarding the older man in an almost brotherly fashion. Equally amazing to those who knew him was that the somber man apparently shared the notion.

At the sound of the newcomers' arrival, Sou stepped out onto the porch. "Ohayo Misao! Aoshi!" Leaning his bokken against the wall, he reached out a hand to assist his girlfriend of seven months to step up on the veranda. Pulling Misao into an embrace, he gave her a peck on the forehead. The young girl sighed happily in response.

"Oi! Save that mushy stuff for when you're alone!" a teasing voice called out. The group looked up to see Sano wandering over from the direction of the main house. The fish bone was back in his mouth and his hands were in his pockets.

"So I see the Lord of Laziness finally decided to join us," Kaoru commented with feigned disdain.

The spiky-haired youth just grinned. "Aw, come on Jou-chan! I'm not that bad."

"Perhaps you'd care to prove your point then, Sagara? I have a favor to ask of you and Seta," Aoshi's calm voice stated.

Soujirou gave the ghost hunter his usual cheery smile, his arm draped over Misao's shoulder. "Sure, I'll help. What are we doing?"

The older man spared the youth one of his rare smiles. " I intend to investigate a cemetery close to where I live tomorrow night. Reports suggest there may be some sort of haunting occurring there. If something out of the ordinary is indeed happening then I need to document it."

Sanosuke's eyes went wide and his entire frame became rigid with fear. "You want me to go into a cemetery at night knowing there's a ghost on the loose?! No way man! Count me out!" he managed to squeal.

"Really Sano! You need to grow up already. There's no such thing as ghosts, despite what a certain investigator I know says. Trust me, the only spirits you'll find in that cemetery are the ones that come in a bottle," Kaoru scolded the young man. Being the practical type, she only believed what she could see with her own eyes. And she most certainly had not ever seen anything to convince her supernatural forces were at work in the world.

"Of course I dispute Kamiya's assessment of ghosts in general, however in this case I'm inclined to agree. I said this was a haunting, not a ghost," Aoshi informed them.

Soujirou gave him a puzzled look. "You mean there's a difference?"

The tall man nodded. "Ghosts are the spirits of those who have died but for reasons unknown did not pass over to the other side. As such they display human intelligence and awareness in their activities. A haunting does not. It merely repeats an action which took place in that spot at some point in the past. It is believed that when strong emotions are experienced in certain areas, they leave behind an imprint on the electromagnetic field of the environment. When the conditions are just right and assuming there is someone around sensitive enough to pick up on it, this imprint will play itself out over and over like a tape recording, creating a haunting. So you see Sagara, you have absolutely nothing to be concerned about. Would you care to join me now?"

The fish bone twitched as the youth thought it over. "Anou, when you put it that way. Hai, I guess I'll tag along. It might be fun," he answered at last.

Misao looked over at her best friend. "What about you, Kaoru? Aoshi-sama said we could go with them."

"I still think it's a waste of time, but if everyone else is going to be there then I might as well go too," she decided with a little shrug.

"Good. Come to my house tomorrow around eight-thirty. That will give us plenty of time to go to the cemetery and set up whatever equipment I need before the sun sets. I'd best go now and pick up a few supplies. Ja ne," Aoshi said, giving them a slight wave as he turned and walked away.

When he had reached the gate, the solemn man stopped and turned back to them for a moment. "Oh, and Sagara? Just so you know, there are no evil spirits in the Tokyo subway system." With that he stepped out into the street and disappeared around a corner.

"This is going to be so much fun! I'm excited already!" Misao gushed with delight.

Soujirou gave a little laugh as he steered her in the direction of the house. "Come on. I need something to drink after all that exercise. Oh, I almost forgot! We're not closing the dojo after all! Enishi found a new headmaster."

"Really? That's terrific! So who is he?"

"His name is Fujita-san. We haven't actually met him yet, but I can't help thinking he'll be an improvement over our last instructor," Kaoru told her. She and Sano were trailing just behind them.

"Fujita, huh? So how old is he? I wonder if he's cute? I'll bet he is! You know, it's about time you got yourself a boyfriend. Maybe you'll get lucky and he'll be the man of your dreams!" Misao said, looking back over her shoulder with a mischievous grin.

"Mou! Don't any of you dare do or say anything in front of him to embarrass me!" the young woman threatened loudly. "Besides, with my luck the dream he'd be out of would be one of my nightmares."

The last part was spoken in a whisper, so it was not heard by the others who were busy laughing at her consternation as they entered the house.

~TBC ~

  
  
  
  



	8. Closer to the Truth

Who Fights with Monsters

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts and dreams are in italics.

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Chapter 8. Closer to the Truth

The gaze of the wolf reaches into our soul.

-Barry Lopez

  


_The red sun of evening hovered over the horizon, tinting the entire world the shade of blood. Shadows grew beneath the leafless trees lining the rutted track. Silence reigned supreme here, as if even the night creatures feared the encroaching darkness._

_ Harada shivered, pulling the worn and faded haori closer about him. Before him lay a small, nearly abandoned village. Not a soul stirred in the gloomy fields or streets. Only from the dilapidated hovels did any light seep to show people still lived here; the finer homes were all dark and deserted, their inhabitants having fled for the safety of Sendai._

_ The former Tenth Captain of the Shinsengumi felt no shock at the inactivity or the unusual sense of dread that hung in the air. Over the past three years he had witnessed this same scene up and down the entire length of Japan. Wherever Saito roamed those who could fled to the larger cities while the poor huddled together in their homes and prayed. And woe to the man with evil in his heart who dared to venture into the night._

_ Gripping his spear a little harder, Harada headed for the local inn. Some instinct told him that he was closer to learning the truth than he had ever been since beginning his quest. Always before rumors of Saito's whereabouts had reached him too late. This time he knew it was different. Tonight he would finally confront his former friend and ally._

_ Just as he was approaching his destination a man's terrified scream echoed in the twilight. Harada darted down the lane in search of its source. A soft snarling sound was coming from around the side of a shop ahead. Turning the corner Harada froze in horror._

_ Laying on the ground was the body of a huge, rough-looking man. His troat had been savagely ripped out and his lifeless eyes were fixed on the sky above. Blood pooled on the ground beside him._

_ A low growl caused him to tear his gaze from the corpse and squint into the shadows beyond. Just barely he could make out the form of a large, black-furred creature. It appeared to be a wolf, but in size it was at least twice as big. Glowing amber eyes watched him intently, as if they could see into his very soul. Somehow he could not force himself to look away from those ghastly burning orbs. Harada opened his mouth to scream and found no sound would come...._

Sanosuke found he had no such problem as he awoke with a start. Leaping up from his futon to escape the "monster", his feet tangled in the covers and he fell flat on his face. He moved just enough to rest his head on his arm as the realization that it had been another dream seeped into his brain. "Shimatta," he whispered before picking himself up.

Yawning, he stretched his sore muscles and glanced over at the clock. "Che! I'm late! I'd better get over to the dojo if I don't want to miss my ride." Pausing only long enough to grab a few things, Sano rushed out of his apartment.

He had only taken a few steps down the street when the blast of a car horn startled him. Whipping around he spotted a silver Mazda Protege pulling up to the curb. It had not even stopped before the passenger door opened and an angry Kaoru leapt out and popped him upside his head.

"Sano, what do you think you're doing?! Do you have any idea what time it is? Get in the car already! I don't want to keep Aoshi and Misao waiting!" she castigated while pushing him toward the vehicle.

"Oi! Careful Jou-chan! Gomen! I didn't mean to oversleep!" he complained as he was unceremoniously shoved into the back seat.

In the rear view mirror Soujirou gave him a sheepish grin. "Gomen nasai Sano, but you really should call if you're going to be late."

"Don't apologize to him Sou. He'll never act more responsible if we just forgive him all the time," Kaoru admonished as she strapped herself in. Sou just smiled again and pulled the car back out onto the road.

Sano sprawled out in the back and closed his eyes. "Anou, I might be a little lazy sometimes, but at least I'm not a Tanuki."

"Nani?! Would you care to repeat that Sano?"

"You heard me, Tanuki. You know that's quite a temper you got there. You might want to tone it down some when that Fujita guy gets here or he might not ask you out."

"At least I'm not the one all hung up on a certain medical student who only notices I exist when she wants to poke fun of me!"

Wincing at the shrill note in his sister's voice, the smile slipped from Soujirou's face. "Yare, yare," he muttered. Not even one minute had passed and the fighting had already begun. He supposed things could be worse. If Yahiko were in the car with them he would be calling Kaoru "Busu" and getting beat over the head. Tuning out the bickering, he concentrated on driving to the Shinomori residence as quickly as possible.

*************************

Sou had barely gotten out of the car when a figure streaked from the apartment building and glomped him. Despite the sudden lack of air and the crushing pain to his ribs he gave his girlfriend a delighted smile. "Konnichiwa Misao!"

"Why are you guys so late?" she asked him with a grin of her own.

"Gomen nasai, but someone overslept," Kaoru explained with a pointed look at Sano.

"Anou, it's not that big a deal. Aoshi-sama knew Tori-atama there would hold things up so he told you to arrive a half hour earlier than he planned to leave," the young girl assured them.

"Nani?! Everyone is picking on me today!" the man complained loudly as his friends dissolved into laughter.

A short time later Aoshi emerged carrying two bags. The group piled into his SUV and headed for the cemetery.

***************************

As promised the location was not far away. It only took a few minutes to set up the video cameras, place a tape recorder by the headstone which the haunting was said to be centered around, and assign everyone a job should an "event" occur. Soujirou was given an electromagnetic detector, Kaoru had to take notes, Sano was put in charge of the thermal gauge, and Misao had the task of timing any disturbances. Aoshi himself planned to take a few photos with his 35 mm.

Unfortunately after three hours it became apparent that nothing was going to happen. Sano and Misao were both fidgeting terribly by then, Kaoru was trying to fall asleep, and even Sou seemed to have grown bored. Checking the time, Aoshi saw that it was just after twelve o'clock. He reached out and turned off one of the video cameras.

"We might as well pack everything up for the night. All the past sightings took place before midnight," he informed the others.

Kaoru stood and turned off the other camera. "Mou! That was more of a waste of time than I thought! And you do this how often?"

"Actually, I would have been very surprised if anything had materialized. It is usual to spend weeks or even months monitoring a site before an incident transpires. The chief law of ghost hunting is patience." With that he walked off to retrieve his tape recorder while the rest of them stowed everything else in the vehicle.

Once they were all situated back in the vehicle and Aoshi had pulled back out into the road, Soujirou decided to speak "Will we be coming back soon?"

"Iie. I'm in the middle of another investigation of sorts. I merely wanted to get a feel for the location."

"Naruhodo. So what are you working on now?"

"I'm researching the legend of the Wolf of Mibu."

"Wolf of Mibo? What's that?" Sano asked in a slightly bored tone.

Everyone stared at him as if he had three heads.

"You've never heard of the curse?" Misao exclaimed in disbelief.

"Not really. I've never been much for bogeyman tales. So what about this Wolf of Mibo?"

"Mibu," Kaoru corrected. "Even I know that story!"

"Then tell it to me already. I want to know what this Mibo is!"

"Mibu," Aoshi reiterated. "The legend had its beginnings during the Bakumatsu with a group known as the Shinsengumi."

Sano felt his blood run cold. "The Shinsengumi?" he whispered._ It can't be! My dreams can't have really happened!_

~TBC ~

  
  
  
  



	9. The Curse of the Wolf of Mibu

Who Fights with Monsters

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

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Chapter 9. The Curse of the Wolf of Mibu

We humans fear the beast within the wolf because we do not understand the beast within ourselves.

-Gerald Hausman

Once he had regained some measure of composure, Sano pressed Aoshi for details. "So who were these Shinsengumi?"

"They were a peace-keeping force in Kyoto. Anyone who seemed suspicious and could not prove their identity was liable to fall to their swords. The reason for such brutality was that at the time a group calling themselves the Ishin Shishi were attempting to overthrow the Shogunate.

"There were amongst them two men of exceptional skill with the sword. One was Okita, the Captain of the First Unit. The other was the Captain of the Third Unit, a man by the name of Saito."

_Saito?! That's the name of the man Harada was searching for in my dreams!_ Sano thought to himself. He listened intently as Aoshi continued the tale.

"The two men were not just the best swordsmen of the group, but they were also very good friends. Or they were until a woman came between them. Saito was engaged to the daughter of an important Aizu official. I have never been able to learn her name, but rumor claimed she was very beautiful. Apparently Okita at least must have thought so.

"The trouble began when the Vice-Captain Hijikata and some of the other Unit Captains witnessed an argument between Okita and the Third Captain. Saito was accusing the other man of hiding something from him. The First Captain denied the allegation. When questioned, neither man would reveal the subject of their disagreement.

"A few days later Saito returned from patrol and learned Okita and his fiancee were meeting in secret. He became enraged and took off to confront them. Hijikata gathered some men and followed, wishing to prevent an incident, but he was too late. When they found the meeting place, a waterfall outside of Kyoto, the lovers had already been brutally slain. Saito was found near-by. Both he and his sword were covered in their blood.

"Hijikata's wrath could hardly be contained. The First Captain had been like a brother to him and he would not allow his murder to go unpunished. He ordered Saito to commit seppuku. The Third Captain refused, maintaining his innocence.

"Saito claimed not to believe that Okita and his fiancee were having an affair. His assertion was that they had been lured to the waterfall and murdered by a shadow assassin of the Ishin. He had come to warn them of the threat against their lives, but was knocked unconscious by the true killer who then framed him for the crime. When questioned about the argument with the First Captain, he explained that he suspected Okita was hiding a serious illness from the group and that he was just concerned for his friend's well-being.

"Of course there was no evidence to support his story, but enough people were swayed that the group's leader, Kondou, felt the matter had to be proved conclusively. Hijikata had in his possession a book containing instructions for a potion capable of determining the truthfulness of a person's statement by their own emotional status. If a person who felt any guilt in his heart were exposed to it they would be forced to reveal their inner-demon to the world. Only someone with a clear conscious could pass the test. It was agreed to try it on Saito."

"I've never understood why anyone would believe such a thing would work," Kaoru stated flatly.

"A while back I was able to obtain a copy of the book in question and found it was a Japanese translation of a French text on herbal folklore. At the time it was written Japan was just beginning to come into contact with Western ideas and beliefs. Most likely Hijikata thought that it was based on actual knowledge rather than superstition and folk magic.

"After Saito had been forced to drink the concoction, he was to be escorted back to his cell until it took effect. Somehow on the way he was able to get hold of a sword and slay the two guards assigned to him. He also seriously wounded another Captain before attempting his escape. The alarm was raised immediately and near the gates of their headquarters he was cut off and surrounded. What exactly happened next has been a source of debate for over a century.

"According to witnesses, Saito suddenly began to....change. It was said he became a giant, black wolf-like creature before their very eyes. Some mention the thing's 'burning' amber eyes paralyzed with fear anyone unlucky enough to meet its gaze. Caught off-guard by the transformation, seven of the Shinsengumi were slaughtered by the beast as it fled the compound.

"It bolted through the streets of Kyoto, leaving death in its wake. If the Shinsengumi had been helpless against such a monster what could defenseless citizens do? The conservative estimate is that at least twelve more people fell victim to its ravening jaws before it gained the freedom of the countryside and was lost to its pursuers.

"One odd fact became very apparent from the start. The beast had only killed men who were known to engage in criminal activities. Even the seven members of the Shinsengumi had been under some suspicion. Helpless women and children, however, were completely ignored during its rampage.

"There were some who pointed to this as proof of the Third Captain's innocence. They proclaimed that the monster was seeking the blood of the true killer, which is why only the evil were attacked. Others proposed that the Shinsengumi motto of "Aku. Soku. Zan." had been so deeply ingrained in the man that the creature could only harm the wicked.

"The vast majority of people however, still believed Saito was guilty of the murders. They merely felt that the Kami would not allow such a foul thing to harm the innocent. It was a divine punishment and the monster was doomed to hunt the evil in repentance for his own sins.

"For nine days the land around Kyoto was scoured for any trace of the creature, but not a single track was found. Many hoped that it would never be seen again. But only three days after the search was called off it struck again.

"The Second Unit of the Shinsengumi was patrolling the streets of Kyoto when a woman's hysterical screams drew them to a back alley. They discovered a small group of known bandits lying dead at her feet, their bodies horribly mangled. When the Captain had finally calmed the lady down, she explained that the men were harassing her when the creature attacked. It slaughtered every one of the armed thugs, yet completely ignored the defenseless woman.

"And so it was that the legend of the Wolf of Mibu had begun. For the next two years, as the war raged on in and around Kyoto, the beast also stalked the area. No one knows how many men on both sides of the conflict became its victims during those bloody days.

"Eventually the Ishin emerged the victors. The Shinsengumi was disbanded and its leader, Kondou, beheaded. Hijikata traveled to Hokkaido to continue fighting and was slain by the new government.

"It has been said that one of the surviving Captains spent the rest of his life searching for the beast. I do not know the details of his quest, but I have heard that he came close to success on one occasion. There is supposed to be a journal of his that documents the entire story. I've been trying without luck to obtain a photocopy.

"As for the monster, for reasons unknown it left Kyoto right after the end of the Bakumatsu. In the years that followed reports of it came from all corners of Japan. It was almost as if the creature were looking for something. Over the years the number of sightings gradually decreased, but every so often a new witness comes forward, letting everyone know the beast is still out there somewhere."

Sano was silent for a long moment after Aoshi had finished the tale. He felt certain that Hijikata was the man from some of his dreams. Other things such as Saito's supposed crime also seemed much clearer to him now. _There has to be a connection! But what?!_ _How could I possibly know things from over a hundred years ago?_

"Alright, I understand all that, but what exactly did Saito become? And why is the creature called the Wolf of Mibu?" he finally asked.

"As I mentioned, the book Hijikata studied was French in origin. Also every witness referred to the beast as being a giant wolf. Considering those two facts, I believe Saito was turned into the monster French folklore calls the Loup-garou. In English speaking countries it is known as a werewolf."

"A werewolf? Like from those corny American horror movies? So you're saying we should only be worried when the moon is full?"

"Iie. Early reports show that attacks took place without regard to the phase of the moon or even to wether it was day or night. It is the same with European accounts. And as for such a creature's bite turning its victim into a werewolf, that truly is just an invention of Hollywood.

"To answer your second question, the Shinsengumi were first gathered in a place called Mibu. The troop was generally detested for their brutality to begin with. However, one of their early leaders' conduct was so vile that before Kondou ordered his assassination the group had been nicknamed the Wolves of Mibu. My guess is that it was only natural for people to transfer that title to the monster the Shinsengumi accidently spawned."

"Is that so? How did all of you hear about this anyway?" the spiky-haired youth inquired of the rest of his group.

"I heard the story at summer camp when I was ten," Soujirou was the first to reply. "Kaoru heard the tale from me."

"Aoshi-sama told it to me," Misao piped up. She looked at her cousin questioningly. "What about you? How did you hear the tale?"

"There was a very bad movie made about the creature during the mid 1980's. Despite the poor acting and cheap effects, the story was enough to grab my attention. Living in Kyoto, it was not long before I learned that the picture had been based on a supposedly true event."

Sano's eyes widened at this revelation. _That's it! I must have seen that movie at some point and that's why I'm having these dreams! I've just forgotten about it is all. Che, for a while there I thought I was going nuts,_ he thought to himself with an amused smile. He relaxed in his seat with his arms folded behind his head. _Maybe tomorrow I'll try to track it down. Perhaps seeing it again will help put an end to these nightmares I've been having._

"Aoshi, you said before you were studying the legend. Were you intending to write a book about it?" Soujirou asked, his curiosity piqued. Something about the story struck a cord in him.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I have always been very interested in the tale. It was the catalyst that made me a paranormal investigator. I simply desire to know more about the Wolf's origins," the normally quiet man explained.

"Mou! Could we talk about something else now? All this blood and gore stuff is beginning to bother me. Besides, there's no such thing as this Wolf of Mibu. He's just a bogeyman made up to scare people into not doing things they shouldn't be anyways. You don't really believe in it, do you Aoshi?" Kaoru asked the ghost hunter. " I mean, spirits are one thing, but even you can't seriously believe in a man who becomes a wolf? That's just impossible!"

Shinomori took a long time in answering her. "Perhaps men do not turn literally into wolves, nevertheless, I must believe there is something to this 'bogeyman tale' as you call it. We know that the people in the story certainly existed and that the Third Captain was charged with murdering the First Captain. It is also a fact that he escaped and was never recaptured.

"And there is something else you should consider. Some scholars think that legends such as the werewolf are representative of the 'beast' that lies dormant within us all. Beneath the mask of civilization we choose to wear, there is a primitive side to our nature that we repress and deny.

"Have you ever wondered what makes a person become a killer? It just might be that such people have dropped the mask of civilization and embraced that inner-demon the rest of us abhor. While they do not change their form, such people could definitely be considered true 'monsters'. What I believe, Kamiya-san, is that sometimes reality can be far more terrifying than any 'bogeyman' story."

Kaoru had to suppress a shudder. She had no answer for that one. The rest of the ride back was spent in silence.

  


******************************

  


A shadowy figure stalked through the darkened streets of Tokyo, a sadistic smile plastered on his face. His eyes caught the glow of a street lamp, making them appear to burn like hellfire.

It had been too long since his last visit to this city. Very soon now he would hunt the more dismal thoroughfares for his favored prey. He wondered if he might even find a "special one" this time.

Turning his face to the pitch-black sky, he laughed with a delirious sort of glee.

~TBC ~

  
  
  



	10. The Man of Her Dreams

Who Fights with Monsters

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Dreams and thoughts are in italics.

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Chapter 10. The Man of Her Dreams

When the Wolf walks by you - you will remember.

-Robert Ghost Wolf

As ususal Kaoru's dreams were haunted by the man with amber eyes......

_Tokio smiled as she tied the blue strip of paper to the rustling sasa. She turned her face up to the clear, star-studded sky; the lovers would have no trouble finding each other tonight. She said a prayer to the weaver, begging her to grant her wish._

_ "Are you finished yet? Some of us have to sleep eventually," a low male voice reached out from the surrounding darkness. The man tried hard to sound grumpy and came off as amused instead._

_ She turned to look at him, but the deep shadows of the night hid his face from view. Only his beautiful amber eyes were visible as they caught the faint light from the city below them._

_ "Mou! Most men would be happy to escort a beautiful young woman to a secluded spot on Tanabata!" she scolded him._

_ "Anou, if the opportunity ever arises, I'll remember that," the man replied._

_ Tokio was crushed by his off-hand remark. Was that how he really felt? Their engagement had been handled by the Daimyo himself, so she knew there was no way Saito would have dared reject the arrangement, yet a small part of her had hoped he was pleased with the idea of having her as his wife. She had been ecstatic with the knowledge that such a brave and honorable man would be her husband. Something about him had drawn her to him instantly, despite his stern, unyielding nature. And over the following months, as they had become better acquainted with each other her attraction had grown into a deep and devoted love. However, she had no idea what his feelings were and she often wondered if he were as happy with the situation as he allowed her to believe. Now it seemed she had proof that to him their impending marriage was only a duty to be fulfilled. Trying to hid her hurt, she turned away quickly._

_ "Fine! If that's how you feel then marry someone else!" she screeched before stomping off. Not really the sort of thing a proper young lady should do, but at the moment she did not care._

_ The amber-eyed samurai was faster and before she could take more than a few steps he had grabbed hold of her and swept her into his embrace. A small chuckle escaped him as she struggled to free herself. Leaning down close to her ear he whispered to her in a soothing, seductive tone. " You are the only one that I want. Aishiteru Tokio."_

_ Mollified, Tokio stopped struggling and allowed him to hold her. With a contented sigh she rested her head against his broad chest and closed her eyes. "Aishiteru."_

_ Eventually he went to pull away again. "Come along. If I don't return you to your home soon your father will have my head."_

_ Instead she grasped the fabric of his gi with both hands and shook her head. Desperately she gazed up into the amber eyes. "Onegai... Not yet. Just hold me a while longer. Onegai?"_

_ She acted this way every time the moment came when they had to part again. It did not matter to her if it was childish or improper; it was only that she knew each time he left there was a chance she would never see him again. It made her greedy for every second she could steal with him._

_ The samurai groaned and she thought he was losing patience with her. Instead he cupped her face with a long, elegant hand that was calloused from continuously exercising his skill with the sword. Lightly he dropped a kiss on her brow. "Do not tempt me, my little Tanuki," he whispered, using that annoying nickname he had stuck her with. "As you pointed out earlier, this is a very secluded spot. You have no idea what could happen to a beautiful young woman who finds herself alone in such a place with a Wolf." His voice had grown husky with desire and he shifted slightly to prove his point._

_ Tokio's eyes widened and she gasped as she felt the evidence of his arousal pressed intimately against her. It should have frightened her, but instead she experienced an intense thrill at being the cause of such need. Slowly she wrapped her arms around his neck, forcing him to bend closer to her lips. "Then perhaps you had better teach me," she suggested silkily. Not wanting to give her courage a chance to waver, she touched her lips to his._

_ Despite her boldness, it was a sweet, innocent kiss and soon over. Glancing up she saw that infuriating smirk of his already firmly in place. One eyebrow was raised inquiringly. "That's it? Hn. No future wife of mine can be allowed to give such weak kisses. Here, I'll show you the correct technique," he teased._

_ Before her infamous fury had a chance to explode his lips were once more on hers. There was nothing chaste about the way his mouth crushed hers, demanding she respond. His tongue traced the curve of her mouth, sending a shiver of delight coursing through her. One of his hands was massaging the back of her neck; the other was at the small of her back, forcing her closer against him. When his teeth tugged gently at her lips, she opened eagerly, allowing his tongue to invade and kindle a fire inside her._

_ Her hands began to move of their own accord. Briefly they tangled in his dark hair before moving down to stroke the muscles of his broad shoulders. His tongue suddenly initiated a dance with her own, causing her to moan. The cloth between them was now a frustrating barrier. She wanted to feel his bare skin beneath her hands. Griping the fabric of his gi, she shoved it away from his shoulders. Seemingly as impatient as she was, the samurai shrugged out of it._

_ His own explorations led him to untie her obi. It fluttered to the ground unnoticed. Her kimono fell open, exposing her fully to his view. Suddenly his hands and lips were everywhere, his touch drugging her with pure ecstasy and desire. She was such a whirl of thoughts and emotions that she was not quite sure just how she ended on the ground completely naked with his equally exposed long, lean frame hovering over her. _

_ For one brief moment his amber eyes gazed deeply into her own. "Soon Koishii. I promise you that very soon we will be together forever," he said in a voice rough with desire. And in the next instant he was inside of her, carrying her with him toward some paradise she had never known existed....._

In her sleep Kaoru smiled. "Hajime," she mumbled against her pillow.

**********************

Sano sulked on the front porch of the dojo. Along with Misao, he had come over early to help with any last minute preparations for the new instructor's arrival. Unfortunately Kaoru's temper had been shorter than ever and after bumping into him for the sixth time she had irritably ordered him outside with the instructions to greet Fujita-san for them.

From the sound of things, Sou and Jou-chan were giving the others a small demonstration of their skills. With a sigh he wondered if anyone would notice if he snuck off to the kitchen for a bite to eat. He was just about to make an attempt when a stranger stepped through the open gate.

He was a tall man with dark hair that was worn slicked back except for four wispy locks that insisted of flopping down into his eyes. His face was angular and hard. The color of his eyes was impossible to tell because they were narrowed into such fine slits. The lean, muscular frame of his body was draped with a dark blue pair of slacks and a button-up shirt. A pack was slung over one shoulder. The man's thin lips stretched into a smile so pleasant and friendly it was creepy when he saw Sano.

"Ohayo gozaimasu! I don't mean to disturb you, but could you please direct me to Yukishiro-san. My name is Fujita Goro," the stranger said in a polite voice.

Sano's eyes narrowed a bit as he studied the man. Something about him set all his nerves on edge. "Those are some narrow eyes you've got there," he finally said. At least he thought it was the guy's eyes that bothered him so.

Inwardly Fujita groaned at the idiotic statement. He hoped everyone here was not as rude as this young man. Secretly, the main source of his annoyance was that the kid looked and acted an awful lot like someone he had known years ago. In fact, except for his hair and eye colors and 

poor fashion sense, they were almost identical. Managing to keep his pleasant voice, he answered him. "Gomen nasai! I can't help the way I was born."

The kid appeared to not even be listening. "Oi! Is that a Japanese sword you have in your pack? You do know that only wooden swords are used in the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu?" 

"Hai." Suddenly a terrible thought occurred to Fujita. "Say, you're not one of the students here are you?" he asked as nicely as possible.

The youth blinked in surprise. "Who me? Iie. I'm just a friend of the family. The name is Sagara Sanosuke. Nice to meet you. You know, you look like a pretty tough guy. Care to go a few rounds with me?" The kid asked, holding up a fist.

"Iie! Iie. Onegai, could you direct me to Yukishiro-san? I've things to discuss with him."

"Are you sure you won't change your mind? I promise to go easy on you." 

Fujita really did groan this time. Sagara evidently had a one-track mind. Dropping the act, he allowed his eyes to open to their normal, predatory state. He suppressed a smirk as the youth gasped at the change. "Hn. A weak Ahou such as yourself would be no challenge for me. I don't have time to bother with meaningless fights. I'll find Yukishiro-san on my own."

Sano's momentary shock at seeing the man's true nature revealed turned to anger in an instant. He couldn't stand an insult at the best of times, but this stranger's smug, superior attitude made it even harder to bear. Also, the one insult which could burn him up worse than to be called a "Tori-atama", was if someone called him an ahou. 

"Oi! Who do you think you're calling an 'ahou'!" he yelled at the man who was walking past him toward the dojo doors. "Why don't you come back here and back that statement up with your fist?! I'll show you I'm not an 'ahou'!"__

"Ahou," the man named Fujita said again with complete confidence as he opened the dojo door and stepped inside. Grumbling under his breath, Sano folded his arms defiantly across his chest and followed right on his heels.

***************************

Kaoru held the bokken out before her, clearing her mind as she prepared for the next pass. Soujirou had an important kendo match coming up in another month and needed someone to spar with so he could prepare. As usual, she was not proving to be much of a challenge for him and it aggravated her to no end. This time she vowed to get at least one good hit on her adopted brother. 

She saw Enishi and Misao watching from the far side of the dojo. Determinedly she blocked them out. _Focus on the job at hand,_ she scolded herself.

Just as she began her pass a flash of light from outside broke her concentration. Glancing toward the door, she saw a tall, lean stranger in navy blue step into the dojo. _It's him! _she thought._ Fujita-san has...._

Too late she remembered what she was supposed to be doing. Before she could maneuver out of the way or bring her own bokken up to block, Sou's weapon connected with the side of her head.

Suddenly the entire world was spinning dangerously out of control. She stumbled forward only a few feet before her knees began to buckle and she started to fall to the floor. Before she could strike her head a second time, strong arms grabbed her and lifted her up.

Kaoru struggled to squint through the haze at the person who held her. All she could see was a pair of beautiful amber eyes starring at her in concern. A small smile curved her lips.

"Hajime," she whispered just before she blacked out.

~TBC ~

__


	11. First Impressions

Who Fights with Monsters

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

A/N - Just to avoid any possible confusion, Saito/Fujita's age _seems to be_ the same as it was during the Bakumatsu, about 23. Everyone else is the same age as they were in the anime/OVA. (Or in Tomoe's case, would have been.)

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Chapter 11. First Impressions

Love will find a way through paths where wolves fear to prey.

-Lord George Gordon Byron

  


Kyoto, 1864 -

Captain Saito strode down the middle of the street, intent on returning to the compound before Vice-Captain Hijikata decided seppuku was in order. To his left the cause of his tardiness, Captain Harada, stomped along with his arms folded across his chest, muttering about how he could have taken those Choshu scum and he was not an 'Ahou'. On his other side, strolled Captain Okita with his usual serene smile. He hummed a tune as if they were not in serious danger of meeting an early demise. Exasperated, the Third Captain wondered if the baka would still be smiling as he was forced to cut his own belly.

Normally, people fell over themselves to get out of the way of the Shinsengumi, so he was caught completely off-guard when a slender little figure darted out in front of him and buried its nose in his chest. Stumbling to a halt, he glanced down and saw only a head of brown hair topped with a blue ribbon. So it was a female at least. Gripping her thin shoulders lightly to steady her, he stepped back for a better look.

The lady jerked her face up the moment it was no longer smashed into his front and shot him an angry glare. "Why don't you watch where you're going you big..." Inexplicably her voice trailed off and the young woman simply stared at him in bewilderment.

His own emotions were running along the same lines. The rest of the world had melted away to nothing. Only the vision before him was real and his heart beat with an unnatural rhythm.

----------------- ~ ----------------

  


The Daimyo of Aizu, Matsudaira Katamori, sat at a table in the small restaurant with one of his most trusted officials, Takagi Kojuurou. The Daimyo's bodyguards looked on with bored expressions as the two men discussed an especially important subject - the choice of a husband for Takagi's daughter, Tokio.

"...I don't understand your hesitation about young Sonoda, Takagi-kun," the Daimyo was saying.

"Matsudaira-sama, while I appreciate the honor shown to me and my family by such an offer, as a father I cannot in good conscience allow my daughter to marry one such as him. In these troubled times I feel a need to look beyond mere political power and wealth. I want a man with true strength to be Tokio's husband. She needs someone who can provide for her even in the worst situations, even if the entire world around them falls apart. Sonoda-san relies entirely on position and influence to make his way through life. He is not a good choice," Takagi explained in as respectful a manner as possible. Matsudaira was an unusually fair-minded man, but one never knew what sort of hidden pressures a superior might be under.

The Daimyo stroked his chin as he considered his subordinates words. "Your words carry the weight of wisdom, Takagi-kun. Who did you have in mind?"

"There is no one in particular I'm afraid. I was hoping you might know of such a man. What of these Shinsengumi you placed in charge of protecting Kyoto? Might there be someone among them?"

The Daimyo shook his head. "The Shinsengumi are brave and loyal, but they are all at best masterless samurai. Very few of them have the potential to rise above their current position."

"It seems this matter will take a great deal of thought," Takagi replied with a sigh. "Now just where did Tokio run off to? She should have been back already."

Suddenly, the official sat up a bit straighter, staring intently out the door. Following his gaze, the Daimyo saw three men in the blue and white haori walking down the street. He recognized them immediately. 

"Ah, speaking of the Shinsengumi, there go three of the Captains now. I'm sure you remember Captain Harada and Captain Okita?"

"Hai. Very admirable young men. And the person with them?" Takagi asked as they passed.

A smile appeared on the Daimyo's lips. "Captain Saito. He was the young man who came to my assistance last year. I believe I mentioned him?"

"Hai. You spoke very highly of him. Rumor has it that his sword skills are as impressive as Okita-san's."

"They are indeed. I expect great things from that one. Oh, here comes your daughter," the Daimyo commented. He had been watching the retreating forms of the Captains when he spied the young woman racing down the street in the most unladylike fashion.

Takagi turned around to watch her approach, mortified at her behavior. All at once she rushed into the path of the Shinsengumi and collided with Captain Saito. Now thoroughly embarrassed, the official began to excuse himself so he could retrieve his errant daughter. The Daimyo however raised his hand for the man to wait.

"Perhaps it would be wise to allow them to sort this out, Takagi-kun. I think we may see something of interest," he explained, keeping his attention on the scene on the street.

----------------- ~ ------------------

Captain Saito still had his hands on the young woman's shoulders and his face held an odd expression as he gazed at her silently. For her part, Tokio was gaping at the tall, lean man in an openly admiring manner. Meanwhile, the other two Captains wore matching looks of consternation. They tugged on their companion's sleeves and all but screamed in order to get his attention. It was not until Harada began practically dancing with agitation that the Third Captain snapped to his senses.

Instantly he let go of the lady and offered her a polite bow. "Gomen nasai. Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, hai. I'm fine. Arigatou," the woman replied, blushing slightly.

"Tokio-san? Forgive me! I didn't recognize you! It's been too long!" Okita spoke up after finally taking notice of her.

"Oi! What do you know?! It is Jou-chan! So, what brings you to Kyoto?" Harada chimed in.

"Okita-san! Harada-san! I'm so glad to see you both again! Otousan is here on business. I trust you've both been well?" Strangely, Saito felt a smug satisfaction that even though the young woman was addressing his friends, she could not quite tear her eyes away from him.

The First Captain seemed to catch this as well. "Tokio-san, allow me to introduce you to the Third Captain of the Shinsengumi, Saito Hajime. Saito-san, this is Takagi Tokio, the daughter of Takagi Kojuurou."

Saito's eyes widened a bit when he heard her family name. All at once he found himself wanting to get as far from the entrancing beauty as possible. "A pleasure to make you acquaintance, Takagi-san. I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me. Hijikata-san was waiting for us," he informed her rapidly, hating how rude he sounded. Unfortunately, it could not be helped.

"Oh, alright," Tokio answered softly, disappointment lacing her voice. "Gomen I bumped into you. I hope we'll meet again, Saito-san. Ja ne."

"Ja ne," he returned, giving her a curt nod before striding away.

The other two men were forced to make hasty farewells in order to catch up with him. As soon as they were out of hearing range, Harada lit into him. "What the hell is wrong with you?! In case you didn't notice, Jou-chan really liked you! Did you have to be such a yarou? Che!"

"Ahou," Saito growled back, sending the Tenth Captain into yet another fit.

Ignoring Harada's ranting, Okita watched the Third Captain out of the corner of his eye with some concern. He had come to understand the amber-eyed man's moods extremely well and it was not hard to guess what troubled him now. Takagi Kojuurou was an important official of the Aizu clan. No daughter of his would ever be matched with a member of the Shinsengumi, no matter what rank he held. To Saito, it was better not to waste time or emotion where no hope existed. An extremely difficult task for someone already smitten.

--------------- ~ ------------------

Tokio stood alone in the street, staring in the direction the Captains had vanished. She wondered dully what she said that caused Captain Saito to depart so abruptly. Somehow she always managed to say the wrong thing. A disheartened sigh escaped her. Normally she did not care if she made a bad impression, but something about the stern, amber-eyed man had stirred her soul. 

Unbeknownst to the young woman, her father and the Daimyo were exchanging amused grins behind her back. While they had been unable to hear the actual conversation, they knew very well what they had witnessed.

"You say you expect great things of Captain Saito, Matsudaira-sama? What would you consider his potential as a husband to be?" Takagi asked his superior casually, a speculative twinkle in his eye.

"Quiet excellent, I assure you. A very good, strong man. Resourceful, too. Shall I make the arrangements then?" the Daimyo inquired.

"Hai, by all means," the other man agreed as he watched his daughter trudge slowly toward them. "Fate should not be ignored."

*********************

The Kamiya dojo, modern times-

Fujita had known the girl was in trouble the moment he saw her. Instead of watching her opponent, she had turned to stare at him. It was a careless mistake and now she probably had a nice concussion. 

Quickly he carried her over to one side of the dojo, intending to lie her down on the raised platform. Just as he was setting her down however she moaned softly in protest. In an instant, the girl's arms snaked around him and her face was nuzzled against his neck. He froze, unsure how to extract himself.

Even more disconcerting than the young woman's odd behavior was the scowling white-haired man who suddenly stepped in front of him. Somehow, Fujita had the feeling he was treading on sacred ground. Not wanting to lose his job before he ever started, he attempted to pry the confused onna off of him.

"Yukishiro-san I assume? I think you'd best take the young lady. Her injury must be a little worse than I thought. She seems to be mistaking me for someone else," he said hurriedly, trying in vain to hand the girl over to the man as gently and quickly as possible. His new boss soon found himself as helpless to break her grasp on Fujita as he had been.

"Iie," Kaoru mumbled in a barely audible voice. She was not fully conscious yet and the pain in her head made her want to retreat back into oblivion. She only knew that the strong, comforting arms of the amber-eyed dream man were holding her and someone wanted to drag her away. Having no desire to leave his embrace, she did the only sensible thing - she clung to him tighter.

"Kaoru!" Enishi's exasperated voice finally broke through the haze. "Onegai, forgive her Fujita-san. I fear you might be right about that head injury. I'll get her to Gensai-sensei at once."

_Enishi? What's he talking about? Wait a minute! Fujita-san?!_ Her eyes flew open and Kaoru gave a horrified gasp as she realized the person she had latched on to was the poor kendo instructor. Her brother almost fell as she released the stranger from the death-grip.

Her checks burned with humiliation. It did not help that Misao and Sano were sniggering off to one side or that Soujirou was looking at her like she had gone insane. She did not even want to guess what Enishi was thinking right about now. Sneaking a cautious glance at the tall, lean man she had accidently tormented, she forced herself to apologize. "Gomen nasai, Fujita-san. I did not mean..."

With a small smile of understanding, he raised a hand to indicate he needed no explanation. "Do not concern yourself over this. Your confusion was the result of a very nasty blow to the head....Kamiya-san?"

She nodded as Enishi laid her down so he could examine the damage. Assuring himself his sister was not too badly hurt, he made her promise not to move while he went to get an ice pack and call Gensai. Misao sat down next to her to keep watch as he rushed out of the dojo. Of course Sano could not wait to begin cracking jokes about how desperate she must be to throw herself at the new guy. For once she was thankful for his bad taste in humor. Annoyance was much easier to deal with than shame.

Fujita meanwhile had backed off to give her and her friends plenty of room. He was also grateful for the distraction the Ahou was providing. With everyone's attention focused elsewhere, it gave him time to organize his own tumultuous thoughts.

_'Hajime.'_ Had he heard her correctly? Had she really called him that or did she mean something else? He wanted to believe his mind was playing a nasty trick on him, but found himself unconvinced. _Why did she say that?!_

He had been shocked by the Sagara kid's similarity to that other fiery-tempered youth he once knew, but Kamiya's resemblance to _her_ went beyond uncanny. Were it not for the black hair and sapphire eyes, they would have passed for twins. Even her mannerisms reminded him of the one he had lost.

His narrow eyes widened a bit as an idea struck him. _Could it be? Iie. Such a thing is impossible. Then again, who am _I_ to believe anything is 'impossible'?_ Fujita tried to shake the notion from his mind. _She's gone. You accepted that long ago. Do not dredge up the past now looking for some sort of morbid false hope._

He was so deep in his own musings it took him a while to realize someone was standing next to him. Startled, he discovered it was the young man the girl had been sparring with. Amazingly he failed to register any ki from the boy which is what allowed him to get so close. The youth appeared to be studying him with a baffled smile on his face.

Once more Fujita felt his heart skip a few beats. He began to ponder the likelihood that he might be the one suffering from some form of head trauma. But no, the boy seemed real and there was no mistaking _that_ smile. _Is this all just some bizarre coincidence or is it Tenchu?_

Soujirou found himself equally shaken. _Unbelievable! So that's why Kaoru acted as she did! His eyes are amber! They're just like the man's in our dreams!_

Finding his tongue, he broke the awkward silence. "Domo arigatou gozaimasu for preventing Kaoru from getting hurt any worse. I'm Seta Soujirou, her brother. I'm looking forward to becoming better acquainted with you, Fujita-san." He offered a polite bow as he spoke, the smile never leaving his face. _I'm especially looking forward to it since you might be the key we've been searching for._

The lean man nodded as Enishi returned, followed by a tall young woman with long, dark her that flowed freely about her. A lavender medical smock covered her dress. She immediately fixed Kaoru with a cool, appraising eye.

"Anou, it seems I can't just drop by for a friendly visit. So what did you do _this_ time, you silly Tanuki Musume?" the lady quipped.

Fujita had to suppress a gasp. _They call her Tanuki?!_ That had been _her_ nickname, too!

Kaoru was giving the other woman a glare that would have sent entire armies fleeing for their lives. "It's nothing, Megumi-san! Just a little bump on the head."

Megumi was not at all intimidated. Instead, she gave a little laugh that Fujita could only describe as obnoxious. "Let's hope it knocked some sense into you! Now hold still and let me have a look," she replied as she bravely approached her fuming 'patient'.

"Maybe we should wait outside. This has the potential to get rather ugly," Soujirou suggested with a chuckle. He headed for the door, scooping up as he went the bag that the older man had dropped to assist Kaoru.

Unaccountably Fujita felt reluctant to leave until he knew for sure the girl would be alright. It took all his willpower to turn away and follow Seta outside. He had to act naturally or these people would start asking questions. That might be a problem since he no longer had all the answers himself. And those he did have could never be told to anyone.

He pulled out a cigarette and lit it once they were outside. "So, I thought this Gensai would be some crusty old man," he commented once he had taken a deep drag. "She got here awful quick. I take it she lives close by?"

"Just down the street. Actually, Gensai-sensei _is_ a man. That was his niece, Takani Megumi. She's just a Med. Student right now, but she comes from a family of doctors so she really knows a lot about medicine," the youth explained in a tone that was far too happy.

_Just the way he always spoke._ Careful to keep up his mask of indifference, Fujita considered walking away from this place and its inhabitants. Their likeness to those he had once cared for was far too close. Even if the familiarity was false, the danger of becoming personally involved with these people remained too high. He had not allowed himself that sort of contact with others since those times; to do so now could well prove disastrous. He would have obeyed his logic if some far stronger instinct had not held him firmly in place.

"Alright! I'm going! Che!" Sagara's voice floated out of the dojo. Seconds later, the Ahou himself stomped out and plopped down on the edge of the porch.

The young woman who had been sitting with the Kamiya girl followed close behind. Her long black hair was held in a braid and her green eyes sparkled. Flashing him a bright smile, she began babbling at him without even bothering to properly introduce herself.

"So, you're the new kendo instructor? Anou, I hope you're better than the last guy they had! He was a real egomaniac! He was all like 'I'm the best at this' and 'no one can beat me at that'! I always thought he was a drunk myself. So what about you? Is this your first time in Tokyo or...."

The rambling was awful on its own, but the volume of her voice made it unbearable. It was more suited to screeching than normal conversation. To avoid getting a headache, Fujita had to cut her off. Turning to Soujirou, he jerked his thumb in her direction.

"Just who is she supposed to be?" he inquired. He paused a moment. "She looks like an Itachi," he finally declared.

"Nani?! Why you?! How dare you!" The young girl advanced on him with a murderous glint in her eye.

Alarmed, Soujirou dropped the pack and grabbed hold of her arms to stop her from maiming the man. "Maa, maa Misao! I'm sure Fujita-san is only teasing you!" he said soothingly.

He would have succeeded in calming the girl if the Ahou had not opened his big mouth. "Actually, I think he might be on to something. Come to think of it, she does kind of look like an..."

Misao whipped around on him before he could finish the statement. "Watch it, Tori!"

A 'friendly' war of insults began between the spiky-haired youth and the newly dubbed Itachi. Not wanting to get caught in the crossfire, Soujirou retreated back to Fujita's side. He shook his head wearily, but his smile was still present.

"Gomen! That's my girlfriend, Makimachi Misao. Excuse her. She's a bit...temperamental. I think that's why she gets along so well with Kaoru. Perhaps we should leave those two alone for a while and get you settled in a room, Fujita-san," the boy suggested sagely.

Retrieving his bag, Fujita started to follow the youth toward the main house. They were halfway across the yard when the gate opened and a young boy with messy black hair bounded through the opening. There was an attractive woman who appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties with him. Her had a calm, reserved air about her, but she smiled sweetly enough as she introduced herself and the kid.

"I take it you are Fujita-san? My name is Himura Tomoe. It is a pleasure to meet you," she said with a small bow. "This is my foster son, Myojin Yahiko. He's one of the students here at the dojo, so I'm sure you two will be seeing each other often."

"Fujita Goro, humbly at your service Himura-san. I'll be looking forward to training with Yahiko-kun," the tall man replied with a polite bow of his own.

The boy grinned widely, glad _someone_ finally had the sense to realize he was not a little kid. Then something struck his as peculiar. "Where's Busu? I would have thought she'd be shadowing this guy's every step by now," he said bluntly.

"Oh, that's right! Megumi's examining her in the dojo. We had a bit of an accident while practicing. She's ok. Enishi just wanted to be sure," Soujirou explained quickly. His reassurance did not ease the older woman's anxiety.

"Soujirou, why didn't you tell me at once?! Fujita-san, please excuse me. I have to go check on my imouto!" She offered him another respectful bow before rushing off to the dojo.

"I'd better go tell Kenshin!" Yahiko exclaimed, running for the gate. He was almost there when a short man with long, red hair tied in a loose ponytail walked into the yard. The silly grin on his face faded as the boy told him what had happened.

Soujirou heard the kendo instructor inhale sharply. Glancing up at him curiously, he was surprised by the transformation the man seemed to have undergone. The thin lips had drawn back in an almost predatory sneer and the amber eyes glowed with a feral light. He was glaring in the direction of the gate.

The youth felt a little flutter of confusion and fear. What had he seen that could have caused this sort of rage? Were Yahiko and Kenshin in danger? In this day and age, there was never any telling just _who_ might be lurking about.

"Battousai." Soujirou barely caught the word, it was growled in such a low whisper.

_Battousai?_ It sounded like a kendo term, but not one he was familiar with. Whatever the meaning, it carried an ominous feeling. Soujirou suppressed a shudder. But as he glanced again at Fujita, the impassive expression had returned. Perhaps he had just been imagining things.

Shoving his concerns aside, he let his smile slide into place and prepared to greet his brother-in-law.

~TBC ~


	12. Difficult Relations

Who Fights with Monsters

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

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Chapter 12. Difficult Relations

Hate is the consequence of fear; we fear something before we hate it; a child who fears noises becomes a man who hates noises.

-Cyril Connolly

  


Himura Kenshin was a man who sometimes felt the universe had pinned a "kick me" sign to his back.

It was not that he had a bad life in general. That would have been far from the truth. When it came to the important things, he had been blessed. He owned a fine home and a successful dry cleaning business. He was also married to a beautiful, intelligent, and loving woman. And now they had a wonderful son in Yahiko. Kenshin had a more than his fair share of happiness, make no mistake.

There was one small but continual problem that made the red-haired man wonder if some cosmic force had it in for him. Despite his best efforts, Kenshin had always managed to make enemies with frightening ease. The tendency first came to his notice as a child.

At the age of eleven, his family had moved to the city of Kyoto. Living on the same street had been a nine-year-old named Shinomori Aoshi. For reasons he would never understand the younger boy instantly disliked him. During those first couple of months he had been confronted by Aoshi on several occasions. 

In the beginning Kenshin had tried to avoid the conflict. But his adversary was persistent and eventually it came to blows between them. Yet somehow in the middle of their fight, Kenshin and Aoshi finally came to terms with each other. When the dust settled the two emerged from their battle as friends.

When asked later on, Aoshi could not explain why he had despised Kenshin so much. It would remain the most irrational emotion he ever displayed.

Unprovoked fights continued to plague him through his teenage years. Eventually, Kenshin adopted a silly grin and humble demeanor to ward off trouble. And for a while the affectation had worked.

Then two years ago he moved to Tokyo and met a beautiful woman on a cold, rainy night. She seemed to be wandering the streets aimlessly, oblivious to everything around her. Concerned, Kenshin had offered her a place to stay for the night. She told him her name was Tomoe.

He soon learned that her fiancee had died in a car wreck a few months before. Grief had begun to devour her, causing her to take no mind of personal safety or comfort. Overwhelmed with the need to console this broken soul, he made it his duty to protect both the woman and her future happiness. And little by little, the two fell in love.

Of course at some point he had to meet her family. He had been prepared for Enishi's harsh judgement. He was the typical overprotective brother and no one could ever be good enough for his sister. And he was aware that Soujirou would be leery of him. Given his past it was to be expected. What took everyone by surprise was Kaoru's immediate reaction.

The young woman suspected the red-haired man of taking advantage of her sister's sorrow. She voiced her concerns quite frankly and his every move or word earned her censor. There were times Kenshin even contemplated that the girl was _afraid_ of him, for she never allowed herself to be alone with him and whenever he came too near she unconsciously flinched. Though he never admitted it, the accusations and mistrust hurt him deeply.

It also did not help that Kaoru's feelings made Enishi and Soujirou far more hostile than normal. Yet Kenshin never let his smile waver. Gradually he and Tomoe had worn away at her younger sister's objections. And with her final approval, Enishi had accepted him as well, although the white-haired man was never anything but aloof in their association.

Everyone simply assumed that once Kaoru resigned herself to Kenshin's presence, Soujirou would as well. However, as time wore on it became increasingly obvious that the youth would not easily let go of his own reservations. Though he maintained a polite facade, there was a wariness in his dealings with the red-haired man that went far beyond his usual caution. Occasionally, the older man even thought he caught a flicker of hatred in the boy's cold blue eyes, but the emotion always vanished before he could be certain.

Sanosuke's attitude had been a bit easier to understand. His brother, Sozou, had been heavily involved in local politics and made some rather nasty foes with his views. When he was killed in an "unexplained" accident, the spiky-haired youth had swore to someday get back at the people he knew were behind the tragedy. From then on he had despised anyone who carried the taint of power and influence.

Bitterness twisted the young man into a street thug called "Zanza" who would fight anyone for money. At that time, Kenshin worked as a volunteer with a youth outreach program. Inevitably the two crossed paths and Sano mistook the red-haired man for the same sort of people who had taken his brother's life.

A scuffle or two later, Kenshin finally convinced the streetfighter that the path he had chosen could only be self-destructive. A deep friendship had sprung up between the two and Sano had swore to give up the identity of "Zanza, fighter-for-hire". Unfortunately, the boy's idea of turning his life about was to become a bum who spent most of his time sprawled out on other people's couches begging for food.

Oddly, Sano's first visit to the dojo had elicited a far different response than his. Kenshin, aware of the youth's bad past and abrasive habits, had been quietly prepared to argue his good qualities. As it turned out, only Enishi had any doubts about the spiky-haired boy and those quickly dissolved into mild annoyance.

The ex-streetfighter quickly dubbed Kaoru "Jou-chan" and took great pleasure in aggravating the girl. Before long the nicknames "Tanuki" and "Tori-atama" were echoing through the corridors of the dojo. Soujirou barely hesitated to jump into the middle of all the dubious fun.

The youth's easy acceptance of Sano stung when he continued to keep such a distance between himself and Kenshin. Tomoe speculated that he had merely taken to the other boy so quickly because of the proximity in age. His soon-to-be wife had urged him to remain patient, still confident that eventually her little brother would warm up to him.

Aoshi had been the one to squash that hope. Plagued by his own demons, he had moved with his young cousin and ward, Misao, to Tokyo just before Kenshin and Tomoe were wed. His fiancee had been eager to meet the old friend he spoke of so often and invited them to dinner at once.

The meal itself was very subdued. Kaoru and Misao, who hit it off from the start, chattered throughout, but everyone else ate in near silence. Even Sano seemed unusually quiet and thoughtful.

Afterwards the younger people had retreated to the veranda. The girls and Sano soon fell into a deep conversation about life in Tokyo, but Soujirou hovered off to one side. He eyed Misao as if she were a rabid animal.

Kenshin turned about to ask Aoshi if he would like some tea, only to discover him missing. Glancing around, he saw his somber friend step outside and approach Sou. The youth whirled around with an empty smile on his face as the ghost hunter drew near.

Aoshi ignored the strained expression. In his infuriatingly calm manner he inquired about the dojo. For a moment the boy had only stared at him. Unexpectedly, Soujirou's smile became more genuine and he answered the older man in an amiable tone. The two spent the better part of the next hour conversing, unaware of the curious and shocked looks the others gave them.

To say that Kenshin felt slightly frustrated at this point would have been an understatement. Dropping by Aoshi's apartment the next day, he had explained the situation and asked for his opinion. Musing over the problem as he sipped his tea, his friend suggested that perhaps the problem really had nothing to do with him. He surmised that the red-head might in some way remind Soujirou of one of the people who mistreated him in the past.

Kenshin found this to be a logical but difficult answer. If Aoshi's guess was indeed the case, then little could be done to change things. His sole option was to wait for Soujirou to overcome whatever memories haunted him.

A year later he was still waiting. It was hard to be a man who made enemies without even trying. It was even harder when one of those who despised you happened to be family. Which is why Kenshin was wondering if he were the butt of some cosmic joke as he wandered through the gates of the Kamiya Dojo.

"Kenshin, Busu got hurt!" Yahiko's frantic voice broke into his thoughts.

The red-haired man turned toward his foster son, the grin he always wore slipping into a frown. "Kaoru-dono is injured? What happened Yahiko? Is she going to be alright?"

"Busu was sparring with Soujirou and let her guard down. She ended up with a bump on the head. Supposedly she's fine, but I thought you'd want to know. Megumi is checking her over in the dojo right now."

"Arigatou, Yahiko. I'll go check on her in a bit. But first Sessha thinks he should meet the new instructor, de gozaru," he said as Soujirou approached with a stranger beside him.

As always, the phony smile was on Sou's face. Kenshin sighed and let his own friendly smile fall into place, hating the stiffness of conversation with his brother-in-law.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Soujirou-kun. Sessha hopes you're doing well today, de gozaru," he said in a polite voice.

The youth was just as polite and formal in his reply. "Ohayo gozaimasu, Himura-san. Arigatou gozaimasu, I'm fine. I hope you're doing well also. Allow me to introduce you to Fujita Goro, the new headmaster of the Kamiya Dojo. Fujita-san, this is my brother-in-law, Himura Kenshin."

Facing the stranger to welcome him, the red-head felt the blood drain from his face and a chill run up his spine. The man before him was tall and lean, but well-muscled. His thin lips were twisted into a smirk and piercing amber eyes watched one in a way that was almost predatory. In fact, he reminded Kenshin of nothing so much as a wolf.

Recovering himself, the red-haired man acknowledged the instructor. "It is a pleasure to meet you Fujita-san, de gozaru. Sessha is glad you agreed to run the dojo. Perhaps later on we can become better acquainted over tea?" he asked, secretly hoping the stranger would refuse. Something about this man just did not feel right and the thought of him living at the dojo with Kaoru and the others disturbed him greatly.

The smirk grew a little crueler. "Gomen nasai, but I must decline. I'm sure for the next several days I'll be far too busy to indulge in civilities. Another time perhaps?" Though the words were all very respectful, they held an undercurrent of malice if one knew how to detect such things.

With great effort, Kenshin managed to keep a light, cheery tone. "Sessha understands. Anou, this one should really go check in on Kaoru-dono now. Please excuse me," he said with a deep bow.

Before either of them could respond, he spun about and headed for the dojo. All the way across the courtyard he could sense those amber orbs boring into his back. Another weary sigh escaped him as he stepped up onto the veranda. Once again, without doing anything at all, he had somehow made an enemy for himself. And this time he feared it was a very dangerous one.

**************************

  


Soujirou relaxed as his brother-in-law vanished into the dojo. He did not know why, but he found himself on edge whenever the red-head was around.

Shifting his gaze to the tall, silent man beside him, a real smile lit up his face. "Gomen! Now that you've met half the population of Tokyo, I can finally show you to your room like I promised!" he joked.

Fujita gave a small snort of laughter and together they entered the main house. The youth led him down the narrow corridor where all the bedrooms were located. They stopped at the very last room on the hall and Sou slid the shouji open.

"I hope this one will be to your liking, Fujita-san. I'm in the room next door. Let me know if you require anything," the youth said as the tall man stepped inside and set down his pack.

"Arigatou. This one is quite satisfactory."

Voices drifted to them from down the corridor and they could hear someone entering one of the other rooms. Although he couldn't see anything, Fujita guessed that they were bringing Kaoru back to her room to recover. A few seconds later, Sanosuke joined Sou by the open door.

"Megitsune said Jou-chan is going to be just fine. Slight concussion, but nothing too serious," he told the other boy. His soft brown eyes hardened a bit as they trained on the older man. "Oi! You and I still have something to settle!"

The lean man grunted. "Ahou."

Confused, Soujirou looked from one to the other. Should he be angry with Fujita-san for calling his friend names or amused?

Sano growled in outrage. "Would you stop calling me that?!"

"Fujita-san?" Sou tried hard to sound stern, but there was a hint of laughter in his voice as his questioning gaze rested on the tall man.

"Hn. So does this Tori-atama try to pick a fight with everyone who walks through your gate?"

The youth blinked and looked over at the ex-streetfighter. "Sano? Is this true?"

"He called me an ahou!" the spiky-haired youth insisted defensively.

"After you tried to pick a fight with me."

Sou narrowed his eyes. "I thought you'd given that up. Why are you starting fights again?"

This time Sano had the good grace to look ashamed. Hanging his head, he muttered out a reply. "Yeah, anou... I don't know. I thought he might be strong is all. I just really wanted to test myself against him for some reason. I'm not going back to fighting for money, so stop staring at me like that!"

"Yare, yare. Fujita-san, my apologies. We'll leave you alone so you can get settled. Sano, go. Now," the shorter boy ordered, shoving his larger friend down the hall in front of him.

A ghost of a smile played across the lean man's face as he listened to the two of them retreat back down the hall. He knew that he was a stranger in a strange place and yet, if he closed his eyes, he could have almost believed he had come home.

**************************

Sano and Soujirou entered the kitchen, the spiky-haired youth still grumbling about Fujita under his breath. "I can't believe that yarou had the nerve to call me an ahou!" he griped indignantly.

From across the room, Sou snorted as he rummaged through the cabinets for a snack. "You were acting like an ahou," he countered.

"Who was acting like an ahou?" Enishi's voice called out moments before he entered the room. Glancing around his eyes landed on Sanosuke. "Oh. Never mind," the white-haired man said as he strode over to the refrigerator and opened it. Grabbing a can of soda, he popped the top. "Do either of you know where Fujita went? I completely forgot about him and now I can't seem to find him anywhere," he stated before taking a swallow of the drink.

"Don't worry about Fujita-san. I just showed him into the room at the end of the hall," his younger brother said casually as he gave up his search.

Enishi could not help himself. He spit out his drink and looked at the younger boy incredulously. "You did what?!" He had to have misunderstood.. Soujirou would never take the initiative with a complete stranger!

The youth stared back nervously. "I said I showed him into the room at the end of the hall. That was ok, wasn't it? You didn't mean to put him up somewhere else?"

The white-haired man shook his head, still not able to believe he was hearing correctly. "Iie. That's fine. I just... It's not important," he replied as he went to clean up the mess he had made. If he was going to have such a positive effect on Soujirou then maybe having this Fujita person around would not be such a big worry as he had thought.

~TBC ~

  
  
  
  
  
  



	13. Old Familiar Feelings

Who Fights with Monsters

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts and dreams are in italics.

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Chapter 13. Old Familiar Feelings

All the things one has forgotten scream for help in dreams.

-Elias Canetti

  
  


"Do you know what he called me?! 'Itachi'! Can you believe it?! He's the rudest person I've ever met! Except for Hiko."

"At least he didn't call you an 'ahou'! Or refer to you as weak! Like he's so much better than me or something! I've never known anyone so arrogant! Except maybe Hiko."

"Did you get a look at those eyes? So creepy!"

"If you think that's scary, wait until you see him smile!"

Kaoru felt herself begin to lose her temper. _What's wrong with those two?! Bashing poor Fujita-san that way! They hardly even know him!_ At last she had enough. "Would you two _please_ stop it already! I don't want to hear either of you say anything else bad about Fujita-san!" she snapped.

"Nani?! You're taking his side?! After everything we just told you about the yarou?!" Sano asked incredulously. Both he and Misao wore matching looks of consternation at her reprimand.

"Especially after what you two just said about him! It seems pretty obvious to me, Sano, that you brought it on yourself. And maybe, Misao, you were asking too many personal questions. Soujirou likes him and that tells me everything I need to know. I don't want to hear another word against him!" she told them both firmly.

Just then her shouji door slid open and Soujirou entered the room carrying a lunch tray. "Anou, guys? Enishi said everyone should leave Kaoru alone for a while and let her get some rest," he informed them as he set the food in front of her.

"Yeah, I guess I should be going now. Gomen about what I said, Jou-chan. I didn't know it was going to upset you. I promise I won't say anything else bad about him. Unless he calls me an 'ahou' again," the tall, lanky youth growled the last part out under his breath. He waved at them over his shoulder as he headed out the door. "Ja ne!"

Misao paused to give her friend one final puzzled look. "Kaoru, why are you being so defensive toward a guy you don't even know?"

"I'm...not really sure. It's just a feeling I have about him."

"You really _did_ get hit hard in the head!" Her genki friend walked over to Soujirou and gave him a brief hug. "Take care of her, Sou-chan. I'll drop by tomorrow to check up on you, Kaoru," she promised before she too left the room, closing the shouji behind her.

As soon as they were alone, Soujirou turned to her with an odd gleam of excitement in his eyes. "Kaoru, did you happen to get a good look at Fujita-san?"

"Iie. I was too embarrassed by what I did to take more than a quick peek at him. How could I have acted like that?! I'll never be able to face him now!"

"That's really too bad. If you had caught a glimpse of his eyes, I think you'd know why you behaved that way. They're amber, Kaoru! Just like the man's in our dreams!"

"Nani? Soujirou, you don't suppose....?"

"Hai, that's exactly what I think. Somehow Fujita-san is the solution to the mystery. I'm sure of it! I really don't know how to explain this to you. I just feel connected to him in some way," the youth replied. He had turned away from her and was staring off into space thoughtfully, his hands clasped behind his back.

Kaoru tried to absorb this new information as she silently ate her lunch. If he in some way resembled the man in her dreams, that could certainly account for her actions. But surely Sou was wrong about him being directly linked to them?! _How could such a thing be possible? We've never even met him prior to this morning!_

Before she could question him further the shouji opened again. Tomoe stood in the doorway. She frowned at Soujirou when she spotted him. "Out. Kaoru needs to rest," she ordered sternly.

"Gomen!" he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Mou! It was just a little bump on the head! Can't I get up now?" the younger woman complained.

"Absolutely not! Finish your lunch, then get some sleep. You can torment poor Fujita-san tomorrow," Tomoe teased her.

Groaning, Kaoru hid her face in her hands. "Does _everyone_ know about that?!"

"I'm afraid so. Come on Soujirou."

Obediently the youth slipped out past his older sister and the shouji door was slid shut. With a sigh the young woman finished her meal. She then set the tray aside and lay down to take a nap.

**************************

  


_Every step was an agony, yet she kept moving forward. She could see him just a few feet away now and knew she had to get to him. She had to tell him how sorry she was for causing him such hurt._

_ The tall, lean man with the amber eyes seemed to be searching the darkness frantically. Moonlight caused the naked blade of the katana he held to gleam wickedly and the waterfall to shimmer behind him. A small spattering of blood stained his blue and white haori and not far away lay Okita's lifeless form._

_ He was just about to leave when he saw her. "Tokio...," he whispered. In an instant he had crossed the distance between them and enfolded her in his arms. She allowed herself to collapse into him, unable to stand any longer. Suddenly she felt him stiffen as it began to sink into his mind something was wrong._

_ She reached up and caressed the smooth skin of his check while staring into those beloved amber eyes. Her own stung with tears of sorrow at all they had lost. Gasping with pain, she forced the words out. "Ha...jime g-gomen na...sai. I....I never meant...for this to hap...pen. I never w-wanted you to suf...fer. Go...men. R-run...Haji...me. One...gai.... G-go.... Get a...way before...he f-finds...you...."_

_ Darkness began to take her then and she sank into oblivion. The last thing she was conscious of was his voice desperately calling her name...._

"Kamiya-san!" his voice came again, more insistent this time. Someone shook her, trying to arouse her. Wearily she opened her eyes and sat up.

Kaoru had to suppress a gasp as she found herself staring straight into a familiar, piercing amber gaze. The man's thin lips were drawn in a worried frown. Except for a few stray locks that dangled in front of his eyes, the short, dark hair was swept back from the purely masculine face. Sharp features gave him a slightly predatory appearance that somehow managed to be quite alluring. It took her several moments to realize the person before her was no dream, but a very concerned Fujita-san.

_Soujirou was right! His eyes do resemble the ones from my dreams!_ She was so distracted by this fact that she failed to question why he was in her room.

"Kamiya-san, are you alright? You cried out in your sleep," he probed gently after several seconds of silence.

The young woman blushed, realizing how strange the kendo instructor must think her by now. "Hai, I'm fine. It was just a bad dream," she murmured, looking down at her lap.

"It must have been a very bad one. You're crying," Fujita pointed out.

Kaoru's hand flew to her check and discovered it was indeed wet with tears. She recalled dimly what she had dreamed this time and a shudder ran through her. Had she really been dying? Why had her subconscious come up with something so horrible?!

"Would you like for me to call one of your brothers in to you?" the tall, lean man asked as he rose from his kneeling position.

"Iie. But arigatou for the offer. I'll be okay. Honest."

The man gave her a curt nod. "If you're sure then, I'll be on my way." He turned as if to leave.

All at once she had the overwhelming need to keep him with her. There was a ridiculous fear in the back of her mind that if he left she might never see him again. Before the logical part of her could remember that she did not even really know him, she had desperately clutched his pants leg to stop him.

"Onegai.... Just stay with me for a bit. I'd rather not be alone yet."

She cringed under the startled scrutiny her odd request caused. After a brief hesitation he knelt back down beside her. An unexplainable feeling of relief washed over her.

"If that is what you wish, Kamiya-san." His tone was polite, but aloof and wary. His strange amber eyes however betrayed a hint of curiosity.

"Call me Kaoru," she insisted on impulse, despising the formality. Somehow it did not seem right coming from this man.

He raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. "I am both a stranger and an employee, Kamiya-san. I do not think that would be appropriate. I really should not be here now."

"I don't care wether it's appropriate or not. I want us to be friends, Fujita-san. I like to think of everyone at the Kamiya Dojo as family, so onegai." It was not the strict truth, but she had to say something that would make the unusual request sound reasonable.

"Sumimasen, but it's simply not my nature to be so familiar with others."

"Oh...." Disappointment filled her, making her wonder why this was so important to her. Hai, he had the same color eyes as the dream-man. But was that really enough to evoke such strong and unexpected emotions?

She was so focused on her own introspection she failed to note the intensity of Fujita's stare. Perhaps if she had she would have been frightened. Finally the man spoke again.

"It is not my nature, but I suppose just this once.... If that is what you truly desire?"

Smiling happily, she met his gaze. He gave her another little smirk that was almost a smile before standing up. "I should not stay any longer. You need your rest and I doubt Yukishiro-san would be very pleased to find a man in your room, whatever the reason. I'll speak with you more in the morning...Kaoru. Oyasuminasai."

This time he was up and almost out the door before she registered he was leaving. Sliding the shouji open, he paused and peered back over his shoulder. "It is not good however that I should be so casual with you and for you to still refer to me as 'Fujita-san'. You should call me Goro," he said softly. Then he stepped out into the hall and slid the shouji closed. 

"Goro," she mused to herself. It was a nice name, but it did not seem to suit him. She tried to recall the name of the dream-man and found the details were too hazy for her to remember clearly. She sighed heavily. _Mou! I'm being silly now!_ "Goro," she said again, letting it roll off her tongue. This time she smiled as she thought of the handsome man to whom it belonged.

***********************

Fujita stood out in the courtyard and smoked a cigarette as he stared up at the starry sky. _Shimatta! _Where was the calm, rational control he always maintained over himself?! How could such a slender, delicate young woman destroy his resolve with such ease?!

_You know the answer to that,_ another part of his mind replied. With a sigh he took another drag from the stick of tobacco hanging out of the corner of his mouth.

After the initial shock of his first meeting with these people, in the stillness of his own room, he had decided to remain distant from the group. Most especially the girl and her brother, Soujirou. And yet already her likenesses to the one long lost had called to him, drawing him to her regardless of both his will and anti-social disposition. Could he really expect it to be any different with the boy?

He knew it was a mistake to remain here, so why did he not leave? In the end that would be safest for all of them.

The front shouji of the house opened and the Himura family walked out onto the porch. Yukishiro followed and gave the woman, Tomoe, a quick hug. With soft goodnights, they headed for the gate.

The red-haired man turned and met his steady gaze. The kendo instructor smirked as the shorter man's eyes narrowed in an involuntary and futile attempt at intimidation. So the yarou was agitated by his presence? Anou, the chikushoume had good reason to be wary since it was all he could do to keep from marching over there and snapping his neck with his bare hands. He settled for tossing the cigarette to the ground and crushing it under his heel.

Himura looked away and led his wife and foster son out into the street. His employer went back inside without ever noticing him.

Fujita grunted, knowing the choice had been made for him. There was no use in fighting the inevitable. The instincts of his other side would never allow him to abandon this area entirely. Given the circumstances, he frankly had no desire to try and resist it this time.

It was a shame people in general were so naive and trusting. Most were entirely unaware of the fact that there were monsters in their midst. With one final glance toward the way Himura had gone, he strolled back toward the house.

~ TBC ~

  



	14. Things Hidden in the Dark

Who Fights with Monsters

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts and memory flashes are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 14. Things Hidden in the Dark.

The past lies like a nightmare upon the present.

-Karl Marx

  


The next morning Fujita went through his normal routine as best he could. Soujirou was already up and in the kitchen when he wandered into the room.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Fujita-san!" the youth said with his usual cheery smile. "Do you want some coffee? I was just about to put on a pot."

He nodded in reply. "Is there a store close by? I need to get a paper and some cigarettes," he informed the youth, mildly surprised he was not finding Sou's bright demeanor annoying.

"Oh, there's a little shop just down the street. We're out of a few things, so I'll show you where it is."

The older man raised an eyebrow, but discovered he was disinclined to protest. He followed the boy out of the house and across the courtyard to the gate. Once on the street, they turned left and walked for about half a block to find the little store Sou's family frequented. The owner was the friendly sort that drove Fujita up the wall, making it a good thing the youth had tagged along to run interference. It almost seemed the boy had an eerie ability to predict his moods.

The smell of food was wafting through the halls when they returned to the dojo. On their way back to the kitchen they met Enishi who looked very surprised to see them just coming in. Soujirou acted equally shocked. Fujita glanced from one to the other trying to determine what was wrong. Before either of them could speak, Kaoru appeared in the kitchen doorway.

The young woman smiled brightly when she spotted them. "Just in time! Breakfast is ready!" she chirped blithely before vanishing back into the room.

"Breakfast is ready? Sou, please tell me you only stepped out of the room for a moment and she didn't cook that by herself!" the white-haired man groaned.

"Iie! Fujita-san and I were at the store. I was hoping you had helped her!"

The older brother sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "We'll just have to suffer through it then. Fujita-san, we can make an excuse for you if you would like. I'm afraid Kaoru isn't the best of cooks," he offered.

The kendo instructor had to smirk slightly. He wondered if it would be as bad as _her's_ had been. Unable to resist finding out, he declined the opportunity to escape. "Arigatou, but iie. That would be impolite. I'm sure it will be just fine."

Soujirou laughed lightly at his statement. "You sure are a brave man, Fujita-san," he commented as he led the way to their impending torture.

Kaoru seemed very anxious as she set the meal out on the table. She bit her lip in anticipation as he took his first mouthful of miso. The soup was a tad on the bland side, but surprisingly edible. Not like _her's_ at all. _Her_ soup could have devastated armies.

The memory caused a small, wry smile to touch his lips. Turning his attention to the tense young woman, he nodded his approval. "Very good," he told her. 

The girl beamed at the praise. Enishi and Soujirou could only stare at the two of them in complete bewilderment. He _liked_ Kaoru's cooking? Was it possible she had actually managed to make a decent meal on her own? Cautiously sampling their own miso, they both had to suppress a gag. Apparently Fujita-san was a consummate actor.

The rest of the meal was spent in small talk, mostly about Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. As they ate Enishi watched the newcomer closely. Fujita was never anything but respectful, though he and Kaoru tended to address each other a bit too familiarly. However he knew his younger sister well enough to guess she was the instigator of that situation. And Soujirou had surprised him again with how comfortable he was in the man's presence, even accompanying him on an errand.

Once more the white-haired man felt assured he had not made a mistake in allowing this stranger into their home. _If he continues to prove himself trustworthy, perhaps I can make that appointment in Shanghai after all,_ he contemplated silently. With all the monsters out there these days, it would be nice to have someone dependable to keep an eye on things when he was not around.

************************

  


By mid-afternoon it was clear that Soujirou intended to become his constant shadow. Everywhere he went the boy was no more than two steps behind. Fortunately his quite, calm nature kept him from becoming a nuisance and, though he did not openly acknowledge it, Fujita found himself actually enjoying the simple companionship. By unspoken agreement the honorific "san" had now been dropped from their names.

The relationship with Kaoru was more of a challenge. Discretion demanded he maintain a certain formality with her, yet that uncanny similarity almost led him to forget who she was at times. It was a constant struggle to keep his anguished soul from seeking the healing comfort her embrace seemed to promise. Forcefully he would remind himself that _she_ was long gone and this girl's likeness no more than mere coincidence. And yet a small part of him refused to accept the truth.

His first lesson in Kamiya Kasshin Ryu was proof of just how difficult that point could become. Kaoru insisted on being the one to show him and made far more casual contact than was strictly necessary. If not for his years of experience with the sword, he would have never been about to concentrate on her instructions or maintain an impassive air. He half suspected that was her true intention. By the time their first session ended, his every instinct was screaming in agony for forbidden relief.

Kaoru herself felt perplexed by her constant need to physically touch him and confirm that he was indeed real. The disconcerting notion that he would vanish into thin air and leave her all alone haunted her. Such an emotion for a complete stranger made no sense, yet it plagued her mercilessly.

They had just finished putting up the equipment when both Sano and Misao showed up. Immediately the spiky-haired youth wanted someone to drive him to a department store. Since they had no better plans for the evening the girls and Soujirou readily agreed to the outing.

Much to his consternation, Fujita was pressed to join them. They soon discovered all the persuasion in the world was futile. The kendo instructor absolutely detested any bustling center of humanity. After a loud, resounding "no", even Kaoru gave up. He slunk off into the main house while the rest of them piled into a vehicle.

As Soujirou pulled the car out onto the street, Kaoru happened to glance over at the house across from the dojo. Suddenly she groaned. "When did _he_ get back?"

Sou peered out the side window to see their long-time neighbor, Hiruma Gohei, had returned from his extended trip to North America. The old lecher was standing in his front yard, leering at the young women next door who were completely unaware of him. For a second the youth's normal smile slipped away to be replaced by a disgusted sneer.

"Who is that guy? Sounds like you two don't like him very much," Sano observed as the vehicle rolled on down the street.

"He's a nasty old man who likes to gawk at girls less than half his own age and make rude comments about them. He's been our neighbor for years, unfortunately, but he had left for a while on business," the other boy explained.

Misao made a face. "And I thought Jiya was bad!" 

There was some mild laughter over that statement, then the conversation turned to other things. The obnoxious Hiruma was rapidly forgotten. They failed to notice him staring after them with a particularly unpleasant expression on his face.

*************************

Sanosuke headed straight for the entertainment section on the second floor. He was greeted by the cute, perky salesgirl to whom he had spoken with earlier on the phone. She recalled right away what he had been searching for.

"I set aside a copy for you at the counter, Sagara-san! _The Wolf of Mibu_ was the name of the movie, ne? Is that the one about the Shinsengumi Captain who kills a few people and turns into some sort of monster?" the girl asked, not actually caring about the film. She was more interested in capturing the attention of her handsome customer.

"Hai," Sano answered absently. He was too busy scanning the cover of the DVD for any signs that this had been the source of his bizarre dreams. Nothing but the haori the actors wore looked familiar. He would just have to watch it and see. The lanky youth hoped he was not wasting what little money he possessed. It had taken damned long enough to find a copy! "How much do I owe you?"

Miffed at being ignored, the salesgirl quickly rang up his purchase. Sano payed and set off in search of his friends. All the while he fought with the anxious little tingle in the pit of his stomach that hoped the mystery had truly been solved. Otherwise he did not like to think what the alternative answer to the puzzle was.

************************

After two hours of light shopping, the group decided it was time to head for home. Soujirou and Kaoru dropped their friends off at their own residences before driving back to the dojo. They were only a block away when they spotted Fujita outside a small soba shop. He was carrying a large bag that undoubtedly contained a carry-out order. Sou whipped the car off to the side of the road and they rushed over to him.

"Goro? What's going on?" Kaoru asked, confused as to why he would not be eating with them.

"Your brother Enishi had an emergency meeting and won't be back until late tomorrow. I thought you two might be hungry when you returned home, so I decided to grab us all some plain soba for dinner," he explained. He could not help smirking just a bit, amused at how such simple things upset her so easily.

"Oh! That's so nice of you!" Kaoru beamed. "Anou, now you won't have to walk all the way back to the dojo. You can ride home with us. Then it will still be warm...," her voice trailed off as something in the window of the store beside the soba place caught her eye.

Fujita glanced over and saw some little ceramic wind chimes hanging on display. He did not find anything notably fascinating about them at first. Abruptly his gaze fell on a pale green one with a sakura blossom motif painted on the front. He almost gasped in his astonishment. It simply could not be...

"Jine's Antiques? This shop wasn't here last week," Soujirou commented. He glanced over at his sister who was still staring into the window in an odd manner. "Kaoru?"

The girl instantly came back to reality. "Gomen. I was just thinking how pretty that chime is. The green one with the sakura blossoms."

The kendo instructor was not even listening. How had it come to be in such a place? He had always assumed it was lost for good, yet there it hung, as if it were a portent of things to come. Fujita could never have been accused of being the sentimental type, clinging to memories of the past. Nevertheless, he did not wish leave it where some crass tourist could get their hands on it. After all, omens should never be ignored. Passing his bag to a startled Sou, he strode over to the door of the shop and jerked it open. Curious about his peculiar behavior, Kaoru followed him. Her brother, not knowing what else to do, returned to the car to wait for them.

They had barely entered the building when they were approached by a tall brown-haired man with a smile that bordered on maniacal. His eyes also had a strange light burning in them that made Kaoru feel extremely uneasy. She almost shuddered when he glanced her way.

"Irrashimase! How might I help you lovely young people today?" he inquired.

"The green wind chime with the sakura blossoms painted on it. I want to purchase it," Fujita told him in a tone that suggested it would be best to comply quickly with his request.

"An excellent choice! Right away!" the proprietor gleefully obliged.

Kaoru fought to keep from cringing at his voice. _What is wrong with this man?!_ Trying to ignore him, she walked up beside the kendo instructor and laid a hand on his arm. 

"Goro? What is it? You're acting rather strangely. I...," she trailed off as it became apparent he was not hearing a word she said. It was as if he were somewhere else. There was an intense look in his amber eyes that would have been terrifying if he had directed it at her. She wondered what it was about those wind chimes that could elicit this sort of a reaction. Did he know something about them? Perhaps recognized them from some place? Or maybe they reminded him of someone? A sliver of jealousy wormed its way into her heart with that possibility. 

By this time the wind chime had been boxed up. As Fujita paid for it, the store owner produced a business card and slipped it into the bag. "My name is Jine Udo. Just let me know if you ever need anything else! Domo arigatou gozaimasu!"

Her tall, lean companion picked up the bag and walked away without answering. Kaoru bowed nervously before running after him, aware of the shop keeper staring after her strangely the entire time. Once more she found something about the man unsettled her. A glimpse of the freaky grin caused a cold shiver to run up her spin as they exited the building. She had never been so glad to be away from anyone in her entire life.

Outside Fujita caught her off-guard when he unexpectedly turned and pressed the bag into her hands. "Just a small token of my gratitude," he offered.

"But Goro, this is too expensive. You shouldn't..."

He smirked at her. "You have no choice. I won't accept a refusal." 

She shyly smiled up into his amber gaze. "Arigatou, Goro. I...I don't know what to say."

"Then say nothing. We should be returning to the dojo now."

Kaoru nodded her agreement and the two joined Soujirou in the car. All the way home the young woman could only wonder why he felt compelled to buy a wind chime he obviously had no use for himself. She decided it was yet another puzzle to which she needed to find the answer, along with her dreams. Perhaps later on, when they were better acquainted, he would confess the truth to her. In the meantime, she began to contemplate the best spot to hang her "gift".

************************

Eventually, Kaoru settled for hanging the wind chime on the front porch of the main house. She smiled as it tinkled in the slight breeze. After listening to its delicate notes for a bit, she turned and went back inside.

Goro and Soujirou had just set the food on the table. She quickly took her place next to her brother so they could begin the meal. Throughout dinner they told the older man funny little stories about growing up around the dojo. He smiled ever so slightly at their tales, but made no mention of his own past. However, they had come to realize what a private person he was and were not offended by his reserve in the least.

They were just finishing up when something struck Soujirou as particularly humorous. This caused his last bite of soba to go down the wrong way, choking him for a few seconds. Gasping for breath made him cough violently. Kaoru instantly began patting him on the back, her lovely face pinched with blatant worry.

The scene struck Fujita hard in the gut, evoking memories that were edged with pain. All at once he needed to escape from their company for a while. Hurriedly he excused himself and headed for the front shouji. 

Kaoru followed him into the foyer. "Goro? Where are you going?"

"I need some fresh air, so I think I'll go for a short walk. I'll be back before long," he told her. Before she could argue or ask to go with him, he slipped out the shouji and closed it between them. Striding across the courtyard and out the front gate, he vanished into the early evening shadows.

************************

Aoshi sat in the front room of the Himura house, staring into a cup of cold tea. Without meaning to he had slipped into a meditative state. Not unexpectedly, a vision of another life washed over him...

_Hijikata moved purposefully through the corridors of the Shinsengumi compound. It was his intention to question Okita about some odd movements on the Ishin's part his patrol had reported. If they were correct, their enemies had gained the help of an unusually skilled assassin._

_ As he approached the First Captain's quarters he paused. The younger man was suffering another round of wracking coughs. Obviously the cold had yet to loosen its grip on him. This puzzled the Vice-Captain greatly. The medicines his family made were generally very effective in taking care of such things. Perhaps Okita was overworking himself, thus delaying his recovery?_

_ He started to open the shouji when he heard someone else inside the room. "Here. I made you some more of that herbal tea. This should calm your coughing," Takagi Tokio's voice floated out into the hall._

_ "Arigatou," the First Captain answered. There was a brief silence during which he must have been sipping the drink._

_ Finally Tokio spoke again. She sounded nervous. "We have to tell Hajime the truth soon. Things can not continue like this. We won't be able to lie to him much longer. Okita, he already suspects. I'm sure of it."_

_The other sighed. "I know... This is just so hard. I'm worried about how he's going to take the news."_

_ Hijikata spun around and left without letting them know he was there. His mind was shocked by what it had overheard. Kami! He would have never believed Okita capable of such a stupid, dishonorable thing! And he had thought for sure that Takagi-san genuinely loved her betrothed. Women truly were the most fickle of creatures! Did those two have no prudence whatsoever?!_

_ Saito Hajime was normally a calm, rational man. Yet Hijikata had seen for himself what a dangerous opponent the Third Captain could be when his rage was properly aroused. He prayed Okita would find a way to end this indiscretion peacefully. Otherwise, the situation was sure to turn into a bloodbath...._

"Aoshi? Can Sessha speak with you for a minute?" his friend, Himura, inquired politely.

Instantly the memory or whatever it was dissipated. The ghost hunter glanced up and nodded solemnly.

The red-haired man sat down across from him. For a long while he peered out of the large picture window that dominated one wall. "Sessha was just wondering if you had met the new kendo instructor Enishi hired? Fujita Goro?" he finally asked.

"Iie. I've not been by the dojo since his arrival. However, Misao has had a great deal to say about him. Now what were her exact words? 'He's a cold, rude, arrogant jerk.'"

Kenshin chuckled at this description. "This one takes it she has not forgiven him for nicknaming her 'Itachi' yet?"

"Not quite. Kaoru and Soujirou, however, are said to be rather fond of him."

"Hai. And as far as Sessha could tell he likes them well enough. But this one does not think Fujita-san cares much for me, de gozaru."

"Why should he dislike you?"

"Sessha does not know, de gozaru. It's just a feeling. And something about him makes me nervous as well. That's why this one wanted to know if you had met him yet. Sessha would like to know what your impression of the man is, de gozaru."

"Hm. Perhaps you should tell me exactly what happened," Aoshi suggested.

Kenshin complied with his request. He had just gotten to the part where Soujirou was introducing them when a loud shriek interrupted his story. "That sounded like Yahiko!" In the blink of an eye, both men were on their feet and headed out the door.

***************************

The beast crouched low in the cover of some bushes as it watched the red-haired man through the window. A low growl of hatred rumbled in its throat. It knew this person. It knew this was someone evil. It did not understand how this man was still alive; it only knew it did not want him to be alive anymore. And yet for some unknown reason the instincts that ordinarily drove it to kill were holding it back now. It let out a snarl of frustration. Why could it not bust through the window and kill the evil man?

Just then a slight movement from inside the house drew its attention. There was someone else in there with the loathsome red-haired man. A cool, unemotional figure sat across from the evil one in deep conversation. Another little growl of animosity escaped the beast. He knew _this_ one too. It continued to watch the cold man in confusion. But how could he be here? That should not have been possible, either. And why was he allied with the evil man?

A branch broke under someone's foot close to its hiding place. The beast whipped its head around and its burning amber gaze locked with the wide eyes of a young boy. For what seemed a long time they simply stared at one another. Finally, the youth screamed...

*************************

  


Kenshin and Aoshi flew out of the front shouji, looking around wildly for Yahiko. They saw him a few yards away, staring at a small patch of shrubbery. They crossed the short distance and the red-haired man gently touched his foster son on the shoulder. Yahiko jumped a bit and looked up at him with a frightened expression.

"Yahiko? Are you alright?"

"Kenshin, you're not going to believe what I saw. It was a wolf! A huge one, with long fangs and black fur! It was hiding in the bushes, like it was stalking something," the boy told them in a voice that was half scared and half excited.

"A wolf? Sessha doesn't think that is possible, Yahiko, de gozaru. Even if there were any wolves left in Japan, they wouldn't be hiding in the city," the red-haired man replied in an amused tone, relieved nothing really serious had occurred. 

"But Kenshin, I know what I saw! It was a huge, black wolf I'm telling you! And it had these really weird eyes that just seemed to look right through you!" Yahiko insisted, pointing at his own eyes to emphasis his point. "It took off as soon as I yelled."

While his guardian merely continued to smile indulgently at the boy's tale, Aoshi had to suppress a gasp. Could it be possible the beast had actually been here?! Producing the penlight he always carried in his breast pocket, the ghost hunter walked over to the brush where the boy had indicated he saw the creature.

Curious, Kenshin followed him. Yahiko refused to go any closer, fearing the beast might still be close by. When the redhead was a couple steps behind Aoshi he paused to watch his friend work. The paranormal investigator was examining the slightly damp earth for any evidence that a large beast had sought refuge in the shrubs. Only a few seconds later he motioned for the other man to join him.

The redhead walked up next to his friend and examined the patch of ground where the other had focused the light. His eyes went wide in shock. Unmistakably, a large paw print was pressed into the loose dirt. Something enormous had been hiding in the bushes only recently. From the size of it, Kenshin would have thought it was one of the big cats, but there was a distinct canine look to it. But no dog could leave a track that big! He doubted if even a wolf could have made that mark.

The men stood and scoured the surrounding area for any trace of what had made that print. Nothing could be seen in the darkness to the relief of both. It appeared that their mysterious visitor had left the vicinity.

"Aoshi, what do you think it was? Could it have really been a wolf or was it something else?" Kenshin asked quietly as they returned to the relative safety of the house.

"I'm not sure, Himura. But if I were to guess, I would have to say that what visited your home tonight was not of this world."

Kenshin felt a cold chill run up his spine. He was very glad when they reached the relative safety of the house and the shouji was shut securely behind them. Aoshi, on the other hand, had no fear of the creature coming back. He was too busy puzzling over why it had come there in the first place...

***********************

He felt almost giddy as he walked along the river bank. He had found her! His perfect prey! It amazed him how much she looked like that first one he had found all those years ago. She had been a sweet, innocent little thing too.

Of course he had not actually _meant_ to kill her. No, that first one had been an accident. But he had gotten a taste for death and the fear that radiated from his prey.

He wanted that thrill again. And soon.

But not her just yet. Another one close to her age and of a similar type. Let is slowly become apparent that she was being hunted. Only when she was totally paralyzed with fear would he allow himself the pleasure of taking her life...

************************

  


Soujirou sighed as he watched his sister pace around the foyer. It was now three o'clock in the morning and Fujita had yet to return from his "walk". As a result, Kaoru was beside herself with worry and anger.

"Where could he have gone?! He doesn't even know the city, Soujirou! What if he's hurt somewhere and can't get anyone to help him? What if he's lying in a hospital someplace?! We should be out there searching for him!"

"I'm sure he's okay, Kaoru. He probably has a friend or two we don't know about that he's gone to visit."

"So why doesn't he call and let us know where he's gone if that's all it is?"

"Yare, yare. He's older than we are. I doubt he thinks it's necessary for him to "check in" with anyone." He was trying hard to be reasonable and soothe her concerns, but in truth he felt more than a bit worried himself. Somehow Fujita just did not seem the type to stay out all night in such a manner. "We should wait here. If he's not back in the morning, then we'll call everyone and begin a search. Agreed?"

"I guess so..."

The youth gave her a reassuring hug. "Everything will turn out fine. You'll see. Come. We should get some sleep."

He lead the way through the darkened house to the hall where the bedrooms were located. Stopping in front of her door, he turned to speak a few final words of comfort. "Oyasumi, Kaoru. Fujita-san will return in the morning. He's a strong man. I'm sure he can take care of himself no matter what," he insisted once more while patting her gently on the back.

Without waiting to see if she actually turned in, he walked down the hall to his own room. As soon as he was out of sight, Kaoru tip-toed over to Fujita's room and slipped inside. She might not be able to go in search of him, but she could wait for his return someplace where it would be impossible to miss him coming in, she reasoned. Quietly she sat down on his futon to keep vigil.

~TBC ~

  
  
  
  



	15. Bad Ideas

Who Fights with Monsters

Disclaimer - I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters, etc.

Note - Thoughts are in italics.

******************************************************************************

Chapter 15. Bad Ideas

One meets his destiny often in the road he takes to avoid it.

-French Proverb

  


Kyoto, April 15, 1865 -

Tokio smiled as she finished hanging her birthday present on the engawa. She lovingly traced the sakura blossom motif with a finger before releasing her hold on the pale green windchime. Immediately it began to tinkle softly in the gentle breeze.

With a dazzling smile she turned to thank her fiancee for the gift. "Arigatou, Hajime! I love it! I've never seen one so beautiful before!"

Most would have missed the slight smile which tugged at Captain Saito's lips for just a moment. He was such a stoic person they simply did not expect it of him. Okita, who was far more familiar with him, caught it at once.

"Careful Tokio! You're embarrassing him!" the First Captain teased the couple with a light laugh.

The Third Captain glared at his shorter companion. "Hn. Don't you have _anywhere_ else to be, Okita?"

"Nani?! And miss all the fun?! I think not! Besides, I promised Harada a full account." Glancing over at Tokio, he added, "He wanted you to know he felt very sorry he was unable to be here today. Unfortunately it was his unit's turn to patrol."

"It's alright. I understand how busy the Shinsengumi are most of the time. I only wish things were more peaceful. Hajime, are the rumors true?" she asked, looking up at her beloved with worry in her eyes.

Saito frowned. "What rumors would these be, Tokio?"

"Anou,...people are saying the Ishin have some sort of demon assassin on their side. Is it true?"

Saito and Okita briefly exchanged a surprised look. The Third Captain snorted again and folded his arms across his chest. He clearly had no intention of divulging any information. The other Captain stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Hai, it's true. Or the part about the Ishin having a skilled assassin is true. I doubt very seriously that he's any sort of demon! We think he uses a very fast sword draw, so his victims never have a chance to react. That is why he is so dangerous. I can't wait to meet him!" the youth laughed with an odd light in his eyes.

Tokio backed up a step, startled by her friend's reaction. She risked a peek over at Saito nervously. _Is he as anxious to meet this killer in battle? _As if sensing her concern, his amber gaze suddenly locked with her own.

"Do no fear, Tokio. I have no intention of dying so soon. We have a life to live together."

The young woman blushed, unaware her thoughts had been so clearly visible. With a small smile she nodded. She needed to have faith in him and just say an extra prayer or two for his continued safety. But still... Despite her resolve mere seconds before to be brave, she launched herself across the short space that separated them and clung desperately to Saito, willing him to stay alive.

She fully expected him to chastise her and pull away. Her actions must have affronted his samurai pride, especially with a fellow member of the Shinsengumi standing there to witness her childish behavior. Instead, after a momentary hesitation he sighed grudgingly and wrapped his arms around her, his chin resting on top of her head.

Okita hid his grin at the two lovers and discreetly turned his back, pretending to examine the gardens. The little windchime stirred to life once more, ringing out a soothing melody...

  


*************************

  


Tokyo, modern times -

Fujita groaned as he began to awaken, feeling oddly uncomfortable. He was lying on something cold and hard. Worse, he seemed to have lost his covers. Groggily he felt around for them. His hand only came into contact with dew covered grass.

His eyes flew open as it registered that he was outside someplace, lying on the ground. Glancing about, he found he was hidden in a patch of bushes. With another groan, he rubbed his hand over his face and sat up. It was then that a second unpleasant realization came to him: he was not wearing a single stitch of clothing!

"Kuso," he muttered. It had been a long time since this last happened to him. While he had come to accept that he would never have full control over his other side, he thought what he had gained was sufficient to prevent _this_ situation. Then again, he should have expected something like this to happen considering the shock meeting Kaoru and Soujirou had caused him. _Now what the hell am I going to do?_

While it was light enough to see now, the street lights were still burning. It was early morning then. With luck, few people would have left the comfort of their beds yet. Perhaps he could sneak back to his room in the dojo without anyone being the wiser.

Peering out from his hiding place, he saw that he was in the little park by the river. That was good. The dojo was just up the street. Cautiously he emerged and began to stealthily make his way toward home.

Some deity or another must have taken pity on him. Fujita met not a single soul during the entire tension-filled trek and was finally able to let himself onto the grounds of the Kamiya residence without incident. Gratefully he slipped into the house and quietly made his way toward his room, pausing every now and then at corners to listen for the other occupants. No one was up and he made it back to his own quarters before anyone discovered him. He sighed with relief as he slid the shouji door open and stepped inside. It would have been terrible if he had been forced to try and explain his predicament to his employers.

Shutting the door firmly behind him, he turned around with the intention of crawling into his futon and going back to sleep. To say it was a surprise when his amber gaze met a startled blue one would have been an understatement. For a very long moment they could only stare at one another, neither quite sure what to say or do.

Kaoru was the first to break eye contact. She lowered her gaze modestly, only to remember too late what a bad idea that was. Her cheeks burned furiously and a small squeak escaped her as the proof of his masculinity feel into her line of vision. She froze like a small animal mesmerized by the headlights of an approaching vehicle.

Fortunately, Fujita's shock had adequately wore off that he regained the presence of mind to grab the gray robe hanging on a near-by hook and wrap it around himself. Running a shaky hand through his hair, he glared at the girl on his futon. He could not bring himself to scold her for being there however since she already appeared to be on the verge of tears. Besides, _he_ was the intruder in this house and he now needed to come up with an excuse for his indecent appearance fast.

As if things were not bad enough, the shouji door slid open again and Soujirou let himself into the room. The boy's eyes narrowed as he took in Kaoru's distressed expression, then noted Fujita was dressed only in a light robe. "What's going on here?" he demanded.

"Sumimasen, I did not mean to upset anyone. I should have mentioned this before, but I thought it was a problem I had solved some time ago."

Kaoru risked a glance at him. "Problem?"

"Hai. I have a very bad tendency to sleepwalk and, for some reason I don't understand, when I do this I tend to disrobe. I can't tell you how embarrassing it is to wake up in a strange place and find yourself completely in the nude. Before I always kept extra clothes stashed away in the areas I generally woke up in. However the last time this occurred was well over a year ago. I guess the move must have triggered this newest episode. I wish I could promise that such a thing will never happen again, but..." Fujita cringed inwardly. That story sounded so preposterous! They were never going to...

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize! I didn't mean to embarrass you, Goro. I was just so worried when you didn't come home last night. I shouldn't have let myself into your room this way. This whole thing was my fault. I hope you'll forgive me."

"Kaoru! Anou, it seems I owe you an apology too. I had no idea my sister was stalking you and it would appear she got exactly what she deserves for it! Hm, I don't think Enishi will be very understanding about this though. I suppose I'll just have to help cover for you. Don't concern yourself about it, Fujita. I'm sure we'll come up with some sort of solution," Soujirou told him with a sympathetic smile. "Come on, Kaoru. We should really leave Fujita alone now."

The tall, lean man blinked, unable to believe they not only accepted his lame explanation, but were willing to help keep his "secret". It made him feel almost guilty for lying to them, yet it was for the best if he did not want anyone to discover the real truth.

As she and Soujirou were leaving the room, Kaoru paused and gave him one final questioning look. "But Goro, why were you gone so long to begin with? I know I have no right to pry. It's just that I was so afraid when you didn't come back. I thought something had happened to you. Where _were_ you all that time?"

The kendo instructor suppressed a groan. He should have known it was too good to be true. Now what excuse could he give her? After a few seconds he gave her a rueful smile. "After I left here for my walk, I wandered down to that little park by the river. It was so peaceful and quiet, I decided to sit there for a bit and enjoy the evening. Since that's the last thing I recall, I guess I must have drifted off to sleep," he told her. There! Not a _complete_ lie.

Soujirou gave a small chuckle at this. "You see, Kaoru? I _told_ you he was perfectly alright. Still, I wish you wouldn't do that again, for your own safety Fujita. I hate to admit it, but there is very bad element that hangs around in this general vicinity sometimes. I loath to think what might have happened had they stumbled across you."

"Naruhodo. Then I'll just have to be more cautious from now on. Again, I truly apologize for this whole ugly incident."

The youth smiled and gave him a polite bow, then followed Kaoru out of the room. He slid the shouji shut as he went.

A smirk over the boy's words twisted Fujita's lips the instant the two were out of sight. Hai, it _was_ lucky that "bad element" had not crossed paths with him last night. Very lucky...for them...

***********************

Kaoru went straight to her room and collapsed in a heap on her own futon. Her face began to burn once again as the memory of his exposure came back to haunt her. And she had just sat there staring at the poor man! What must he have thought of her?! For a while she was so ashamed of her wanton behavior that she did not realize she was smiling over the image that had been seared into her mind.

************************

Aoshi waited patiently for Misao to exit the convenience store. Idly he watched people coming and going from the hotel across the road. A limo stopped in front of the building and a well-dressed man with glasses, narrow features, and a wide-brimmed hat covering a truly horrendous haircut climbed out. At once the ghost hunter went rigid over the familiar face, his hands balling into fists. _What is he doing here in Tokyo?! _

As if sensing the hostile gaze directed his way, the man turned to stare back at Aoshi. With a smug grin, he tipped his hat in mocking acknowledgment. The paranormal investigator heard a small gasp at his right elbow and, glancing out of the corner of his icy blue eyes, saw that his cousin had rejoined him.

"Aoshi-sama, isn't that...?"

"Hai. It's Takeda Kanryu."

"That yarou! How did _he_ get out of jail so soon?! You...you don't think he'll...?"

Shinomori snorted. "I only hope he's a big enough ahou to try. All I want is an excuse," he said in a cold, menacing voice. He watched the other man disappear into the hotel. "There's little we can do about it at the moment. I suggest we return home and alert our friends to the potential danger. Come." With that, he turned and began to walk away.

Misao lingered behind a moment. She hoped her older itoko would not do anything foolish. She missed their friends too, but... Not wanting to consider what the consequences of a confrontation might be she hurried after Aoshi, vowing to find a way to keep him and the others safe.

**************************

From a window in the hotel's lobby, Takeda Kanryu watched Shinomori and the brat disappear down the street. A sickening grin split the man's too-narrow features. That had gone so much better than he had anticipated!

Perhaps it was not the best of decisions to taunt Shinomori with the fact that he was free and in Tokyo, but he could not help himself. He wanted revenge for the humiliation he had suffered and he wanted the ghost hunter to know exactly who was behind his eventual demise.

The slimy little man licked his lips as his thoughts turned to the young girl who was in Shinomori's care. Such a pretty little thing. Too bad she was such a brat. No matter. Right now he had someone else to occupy his time. Maybe once the ghost hunter was out of the picture he would turn his attention to her. Laughing to himself in delight, he headed for the elevators.

  


*************************

  


Tomoe glanced up from her book as Kenshin walked through the front door. She frowned as she noted that he was soaking wet. "What happened to you?!"

Kenshin gave an embarrassed grin. "This one sort of fell in the river when Sessha was out for a walk, de gozaru."

"You left while it was still dark. I know because I awoke before daybreak myself, yet I still missed you. You've been doing that a lot recently. Ever since we got back from Kyoto. And last night after Aoshi left, you acted so strangely. Is something wrong? Is there something you're not telling me?"

The redhead blinked in surprise. "Iie. Of course not! This one has just had trouble sleeping lately is all, de gozaru. Don't worry about me, Tomoe. Sessha is fine. Honestly."

His wife smiled softly. "Alright. I apologize for questioning you like that. Why don't you go dry off and I'll make some breakfast."

Her husband gave that silly grin of his again. "That sounds wonderful to Sessha, de gozaru! This one will be back in a few minutes."

Tomoe sighed as he left the room. She did not know why she worried over him so much. Kenshin had always been able to take care of everyone's problems and there was no reason to suspect that anything very bad had been troubling his mind lately. She should learn not to let every little thing get to her. If he said he had only gone for a walk, then that is all he had done. She just wished he had stayed away from the river. The entire place smelled like fish now.

**************************

Sano ripped the DVD disk from his player in frustration. Nothing! There had been absolutely nothing in that film that looked even vaguely familiar beyond the haori! In fact, some voice in the back of his head was insisting they had almost every detail of the story wrong. Though how he could know that was beyond him.

Despite the disappointment, he was not quite ready to accept that other possibility just yet. A neighbor who had seen him returning home with the movie the night before mentioned that there had been an earlier film made in the 1960s. And then there were several more general movies that had been made about the Shinsengumi over the years. Perhaps it was one of those he had seen?

There was only one way to find out. He would have to track each and every one of them down. He just hoped he could bum enough money off of Katsu to pay for this endeavor.

**************************

Enishi returned home around noon. Thankfully Kaoru and Soujirou kept their promise and he remained blissfully ignorant of the morning's events. Kaoru soon found herself with a long list of errands to run, effectively preventing her from taking part in the day's training session. A part of Fujita was relieved. He had the distinct impression that every time he glanced her way she had just averted her eyes from a certain area of his anatomy and it was beginning to have a rather unsatisfactory affect on him.

The pleasant day made the dojo feel far too stuffy. Soujirou and Fujita soon agreed to continue their practice in the park. The older man brought along his katana, thinking it had been far too long since he had practiced with a real blade.

Soujirou watched in fascination as the kendo instructor executed several unfamiliar kata with the sword. They were unfamiliar in name anyway. Somehow he knew exactly how Fujita would perform each and every one of them, as if he had seen him do it a thousand times before. As last the lean man took a strange sideways stance with the katana in his left hand. The blade was held parallel to his chest and his right arm was stretched out along the length of it, his fingers nearly touching the cold steel.

A chill ran up the boy's spine. He instinctively recognized the deadly threat this attack posed. It was a forward thrust followed by a sideswipe should the initial blow miss. "Gatotsu," he whispered, not even wondering how the name of the style had managed to wind up on his tongue.

Suddenly Fujita's head jerked up and he stared off intently in the direction of the dojo. "Something is wrong," he said.

Sou's eyes went wide at the comment and he was about to question the older man when a woman's frightened scream split the air. Without any further thought the two of them raced out of the park and headed toward the point the shriek had seemed to originate from.

**********************

Kaoru was almost home when she heard a young woman scream. Glancing around she spotted the girl on the other side of the street, surrounded by three members of a local group of thugs who called themselves the Hishimanji Guren gang. Without a second thought, she set her bag of groceries down and rushed to the girl's aid.

The youths were caught off-guard when the angry young woman inserted herself between them and their intended victim. Kaoru attempted to take advantage of their temporary uncertainty. "I suggest you leave now. You'll be in big trouble if you don't."

One of the young men, a tall fellow with spiky brown hair and makeup on his face, burst out laughing. "And who's going to stop us? You?! Don't be ridiculous. That girl spilled soda all over my friends jacket and now she's going to "pay" us for it. Since you're so eager to help her, I guess you can "pay" as well."

The man made a grab for Kaoru's arm, but he grasped only thin air. Too late to dodge or block he saw the dainty fist heading for his nose. There was a sickening crunch and blood spurted as it broke.

"I warned you once already to go away!"

The youth snarled back in outrage as he clutched his injured face. "Why you little...?! Teach that onna a lesson boys!"

The other two Hishimanji members took a step to close in on her. A cold, dangerous voice stopped them. "That would be an unwise thing to do. You should follow the young lady's advice and leave. _Now._" 

Fujita stood only a few feet away, glaring at them. Beside him stood Soujirou with a somewhat malicious-looking grin on his face. The two subordinate gang members backed off, preferring to only pick on weaker prey. The leader of the trio however, either being braver or dumber than his followers, made an attempt to stand his ground. "You're the ones who should clear off. Obviously you have no idea who you're messing with!"

The tall, lean man gave him a particularly nasty smirk and brought his sword up in front of him to draw the ahou's attention to the weapon. "Iie. It is _you_ who fails to understand who he is messing with. This is the last time I will warn you to leave. If you persist in this fight, I will gladly separate your head from your shoulders. It's your choice."

The three thugs needed no more encouragement. Turning tail, they fled down the street as if they were being chased by an oni. The shaken young woman they had been harassing turned fearful eyes on Fujita, then nervously shifted her gaze to Kaoru. "Anou...domo arigatou for your help...all of you. I...I have to go." And with that she ran away in the opposite direction the gang had taken.

Soujirou heaved a sigh of relief when it was all over. "Kaoru, are you _trying_ to get yourself killed?! Or do you just want to give me a heart attack?!"

"I couldn't just stand by and do nothing!" the young woman huffed hotly in reply. Turning to look at Fujita, she pointed an accusing finger at him. "And what's with that sword?!"

The older man merely gave her one of his infuriating smirks and raised an amused eyebrow. " Hn. Calm down. I happened to have my katana with me because Soujirou and I were practicing when we heard the girl scream. I just used it to bluff because it was the most expedient way out of the situation that didn't involve someone getting hurt."

"Mou! I didn't mean to get so upset. It's a silly thing, really. I'm just afraid of them for some reason. And yet I practice kendo," she added with a slight laugh. "Though I don't suppose it's the same since we only compete using bokken." 

"Naruhodo. Anou, if you'll excuse me, I need to go get cleaned up. I'll see you two at dinner." With a nod, Fujita sheathed his weapon and strolled through the dojo gates.

When he was gone, Kaoru glanced over at Soujirou. "You won't tell Enishi about this, ne?"

The youth groaned. "Iie. I won't tell him you're suicidal. But we seem to be keeping an awful lot of things from him these days." He walked over and picked up the abandoned bag of groceries. They were just about to go inside when a strange voice called out to them.

"You have a very unique aura Kamiya-san. Allow me to tell you your fortune?"

"Nani?" Kaoru turned about to see a tall man with short, dark hair and a thin mustache leaning against the wall surrounding their dojo. His robe was decorated with the image of the all-seeing eye and he wore earrings with the same theme. Even more unusual was the strip of cloth he wore like a blindfold. "Who are you and how do you know my name?"

"Forgive me! Where are my manners! My name is Usui and I have mastered the Shin Gan. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. No need to introduce yourselves. I already know who you both are. Kamiya Kaoru and Seta Soujirou. Correct?"

"Hai, it is and nothing that anyone couldn't have found out just by asking around the neighborhood." Although he smiled pleasantly, there was a warning tone to Soujirou's voice. It seemed that either his usual wariness with strangers had returned with a vengeance or this Usui person just pushed all the wrong buttons with him. All the youth knew was that he had heard of these psychic frauds before and if the man thought he was going to dupe anyone in _his_ family, he had another thought coming to him!

"Hmph. A skeptic, eh? It doesn't matter. You'll be seeing things soon enough that will change your mind. The both of you. Hai, Kamiya-san. I quite well aware of the fact that you're even less of a believer than your brother. But I feel I must tell you your fortune anyway. You see, it's actually more of a warning. I see a very dark time ahead for you. You're destined to meet with a monster in the form of a man I'm afraid. You may have already encountered this beast, though you did not know him for what he truly was. He most certainly already knows of your existence. He'll come for you eventually, so be cautious Kamiya-san. Not everyone you meet is as they seem to be. Now I've really detained the two of you for too long. Ja ne!" And with a slight wave, Usui turned and wandered off down the street.

"What an odd person," Soujirou remarked when the man was well out of sight.

"What do you suppose he meant by 'a monster in the form of a man'?"

"Who knows? I wouldn't pay him any attention, Kaoru. He's probably just some fraud who was hoping to take advantage of you somehow."

"Yes, it would seem so." Despite her brother's reassurances and her own natural disbelief in such things, Kaoru could not prevent a shudder of apprehension as they stepped into the dojo's courtyard. Why did she suddenly have the disconcerting feeling that something like what he had warned her of had happened to her once before? 

~TBC ~

  
  
  



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